Another Sarcastic Slytherin to Hogwarts
by MichaelaTheUchiha
Summary: OC. You may all run away in fear now. Elizabeth Burke-Moreau is a halfblood that grew up in the Muggle world. Despite her dubious familial connections to the Black family, she manages to retain her pride in the Muggle world and happens to alienate the others of her house. Best friends with Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley, how will her years go? Canon pairings. AU from OOtP.
1. The Sorting: First Year

_The Sorting: First Year_

"Isn't this a rather cheerful place," muttered Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had managed to gather no friends on the train. She didn't talk to anyone, she didn't sit next to anyone, and she didn't listen to anyone. It was exactly the way she enjoyed life: silence. Currently, she was in the grand foyer or whatever of Hogwarts. It was quite a shock when a witch had popped into her house and explained that she was a wizard. Apparently her mother knew about it and that was why she left her father, but took Elizabeth along with her. Although she was glad that she lived with her mother, when she heard about magic, Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder how it would be like to live in the magical world. As soon as she figured out and went to Diagon Alley, she made sure that she knew everything about the culture of wizards and witches and making sure that she wouldn't accidentally get herself into trouble. Luckily, her biological father, who knew that she was going to Hogwarts, made sure to buy her the books necessary in order to survive, as well as telling her all about how, although she was a half-blood, she was the legal heir to her father's fortune, which was a good thing considering that he was fairly rich and from a very old pureblood family. Elizabeth knew that if she used her father's last name, she would be known as her father's daughter and not her own person, which is why she used her mother's name. It was funny; in the muggle world, she was known by her father's last name. In the wizarding world, she was known by her mother's last name.

That stern professor was currently calling out names. All of the first years with her seemed very nervous, aside from a blonde girl who stared dreamingly at the ceiling. That girl managed to be a Ravenclaw. Elizabeth waited patiently for her turn and then…

"Moreau, Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth calmly walked to the chair, sat on it, and put on the Hat.

"My, my, aren't you an interesting one?" chuckled a mysterious voice that wasn't so mysterious.

Elizabeth frowned. "I'm not sure whether or not to feel happy or insulted."

"Why would you feel insulted?" asked the Hat.

"Why don't you tell me?" Elizabeth asked. "After all, you can, and are, reading my mind."

"Hm…Well, I suppose you're less interesting than Voldemort and other famous people, but I see great things from you," said the Hat. "And thinking about me with capital letters…I feel so important!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Would you care to sort me now?"

"You would certainly do well in Slytherin, Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw. Your lack of ambition makes up for the sheer cunning you seem to posses-You're welcome. You are also rather intelligent, again you're welcome, but you certainly are brave to state your opinions without any regards for yourself. I'm sorry to say that you can't fit in Hufflepuff. Your dry humour and blunt nature would hurt many students in there and, unless something interests you, you don't seem to be all that hardworking. So, it bogs down to three choices: Gryffindor, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw. If you had a choice, what would you choose? You don't care…Well…then it would have to be SLYTHERIN!"

Elizabeth took off the Hat and handed it to Professor McGonagall with a smile. She walked to the clapping Slytherin table. She made sure to sit where there were less people, although no table had any people in them. A young looking blond boy, who seemed to be a second year as he wasn't sorted, held out a hand to Elizabeth. "My name is Draco Malfoy. And yours?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at the hand, then at Malfoy. Her father had told her about the Malfoy family. They had been big supporters of Voldemort, but they were rich and made bad enemies. Yet, she didn't want to have anything to do with Voldemort. It didn't matter that her father was a member of the Black family through marriage, Voldemort was against muggleborn and therefore meant her mother. Anyone who was with Voldemort had to be aware that they would not be able to charm her, dangerous enemies or not.

"My name was just called out before," Elizabeth said coolly.

"That was before you were a Slytherin," stated Malfoy, ignoring the cool tone. "Your name?"

"Elizabeth Moreau," said Elizabeth, not taking the hand. "_Pleasure_."

Malfoy dropped the hand when he realized that Elizabeth wasn't going to take it. "I haven't heard the name Moreau before."

"You wouldn't," stated Elizabeth. "Although I'm a half-blood, my mother raised me in the muggle world as she was a muggle."

A girl across from Malfoy snorted. She seemed to be quite ugly. "You're as good as a mudblood then."

Elizabeth could feel her temper rising, but controlled herself to stay calm. Well, at least on the outside; no one called her family rude names, especially her mother.

"And you are a dumbarse-" Elizabeth ignored the gasps and the shriek from the idiot "-but you don't see me complaining. Now, if you will excuse me, I shall go find some _intelligent _company." Elizabeth made to get up. Before she could walk away, Malfoy spoke.

"You are making a mistake," said Malfoy coolly. "You do not want to make an enemy out of me."

"And I," Elizabeth said with an icy smile, "am more dangerous than you know."

As she went a quickly clearing table, Elizabeth couldn't help but wish that the Hat would have put her in another other house than Slytherin.

**A/N: Elizabeth is related to the Burke family as her father is someone in the Burke family. I'm thinking one of Herbert Burke's sons, which means that Elizabeth is a member of the Black house. Although, that means that they were Sirius's uncle…er…maybe the sons of the sons. Either way, Elizabeth is related to the Blacks and her father is a Burke. Yes, her father was a Voldemort sympathizer, but then he met Elizabeth's mum (who is French and as such, Elizabeth is fluent in both French and English) and decided "screw Voldemort". Also, it's quite hilarious, there's apparently an Elizabeth Burke portrait in Harry Potter AND Elizabeth Burke reminds me of Mrs. Suit from White Collar. Hehe, lol. Anyways, this is a series of drabbles and not in chronological order, so if you're wondering how Elizabeth is randomly in her fifth year and then back to her first year, that's why. And yes, because she exists, this is an AU so there might be changes to the regular timeline. Some will be funny, some will be dramatic, some will be of epic length, and some will just waste your time. Either way, thanks for reading. **


	2. Hog's Head: Fourth Year

_Hog's Head: Fourth Year_

Elizabeth wasn't quite sure why she was at the Hog's Head. Although she had been there a lot, talking to Headmaster Dumbledore's brother, but today, she was invited by Ginny who had invited Luna as well. Ginny didn't tell Elizabeth why they had to meet there, only that it could help oppose Umbitch. Elizabeth, who hated Umbitch, agreed instantly to come. Now, she realized that she should have asked about all of the details. Being the only Slytherin in a sea of Slytherin hates was quite disconcerting…Not that she let it show, of course. Apparently, everyone here was to join a secret club lead by Potter in order to learn more about Defence Against the Dark Arts. Although Elizabeth would like the extra practice, she was well-versed with spells in the Dark Arts and in defence of them way past seventh year. As a Slytherin, if one didn't know that much, they would be easy pickings for the upperclassmen. Either way, she knew most things, but decided that if it really does piss Umbitch off, she would go with it. Currently, the group was questioning whether or not Potter was a liar and crazy. Wizards were quite stupid: if he was crazy, then he could have saw Voldemort resurrecting in his mind and therefore telling the truth that he knows. If he was liar, then he couldn't have seen Voldemort being resurrected and as such, wasn't crazy. Elizabeth wasn't quite sure what to think. Malfoy certainly walked around the common room, looking cocky, so it must be true. Plus, she didn't think that Potter would lie about that. Especially if he still stuck by his story after the whole summer and beyond.

Suddenly, Elizabeth had the feeling that someone was staring at her. Elizabeth glanced around until she noticed a Hufflepuff fifth year, staring at her, his mouth open as his face started to turn red. Elizabeth sighed, knowing what was coming.

"THERE'S A SLYTHERIN HERE!" shouted the fifth year.

At once, there was a stop in conversation as everyone started to stare at her. She stared coolly on. There was a parting of people until Potter himself stood before her. Elizabeth supposed she felt honoured that they would sic their leader on her. With a sense of dread, she noticed the wand on Potter's hand. She was going to kill Ginny if she was cursed. Speaking of Ginny, where was she and why wasn't she coming to her rescue? Luna probably didn't even notice about the change in atmosphere. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ginny silently laughing her arse off. Well, no help there.

"What are you doing here?" asked Potter quietly, but with a hint of steel in his voice. "How did you find out about this?"

"I was invited," Elizabeth said coolly, staring at Potter's wand. Was that…?

"Who would invite a slimy Slytherin like you?" exclaimed the same Hufflepuff who alerted everyone to her presence. He didn't have to yell it out for the whole village to hear.

"Who invited an imbecile like you?" replied Elizabeth, perfectly calm, stilling watching Potter's wand. It was. "Are you sure you're a Hufflepuff? You probably would fit in well in my house. Then again, we wouldn't an idiot like you in our house anyways."

The Hufflepuff turned red in anger and stepped forward threateningly. Elizabeth could sense some humour from Potter. It seemed he didn't like that student either.

"If you hadn't noticed, we outnumber you," sneered the Hufflepuff. That was such a pathetic sneer. Even Crabbe and Goyle could do better.

"I don't think anyone except for Potter, Granger, and the Weasleys could do anything," stated Elizabeth. Luna, although brilliant, wasn't as good as a dueller as Elizabeth. "Although, I will go after one Weasley if she doesn't come _right now_."

Ginny was laughing openly now. She managed to stop long enough to say, "No guys, she's cool. She's my friend."

"There, you have your confirmation," stated Elizabeth. "I am quite unlike other Slytherins. First of all, I was raised by my muggle mother in the muggle world. I hadn't even known I had magic until Professor McGonagall came to my house to invite me to Hogwarts. Second of all, I believe Potter; I believe Voldemort is back. You would too, if you've seen the way that Malfoy cockily walks around in the Slytherin common room. Disgusting, really. Third of all, I think most of the Slytherins are idiots and I really don't care about blood. If I cared, I would go by my father's last name rather than my mother's. Now, can we bloody move on?"

"Er, yeah," Potter said, stowing away his wand. "Sorry 'bout that."

"I'm disappointed that it took you all this long to notice me, actually," said Elizabeth. "But, it's fine."

Now that the drama was over, conversation turned to normal.

After a while, everyone had to sign a piece of paper. Although everyone else had signed the paper without any thought, Elizabeth hesitated.

"Are there any charms on this paper?" asked Elizabeth, staring at the paper warily. Luckily, she was the last one in the pub aside from Potter, Granger, youngest boy Weasley, and Ginny, so it wasn't as if she was holding people up.

"Feeling hesitant on joining?" Granger said with a cool smile.

"I just don't want to step onto any binding magical contracts," replied Elizabeth with just as cool a smile. "We've seen how dangerous they could be."

She noticed Potter flinch. Elizabeth winced. She hadn't meant to bring up any traumatic/bad memories.

She hurriedly continued, but made sure that it didn't actually _sound _hurried. "I'm sure you've put on a charm so that we can't talk about it."

Granger looked surprised. Elizabeth sighed. That's right, she was speaking to noble Gryffindors. "Granger, I thought you had more brains than that."

Weasley growled. Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"I put a spell that if they told people, they would be hexed!" Granger protested, unknowingly answering Elizabeth's question.

"Well, it's not like you told everyone if they told people, they would be cursed," Elizabeth said reasonably. "It would be better if you made it so that no one could talk about it. Then you guys wouldn't be caught. Umbitch really hates all of us, so she would love to get us expelled.

Weasley roared with laughter. "What a brilliant nickname! I take back every bad thought about you!" Potter was also chuckling, although Granger looked very disproving. Ginny was, once again, laughing.

"Thanks, I suppose," Elizabeth said in response to Weasley's comment, a dry look on her face.

Potter had a thoughtful expression on his face. "Why does the toad hate you too?" Potter asked. "She just loves Slytherins."

"Not everyone has a sense of humour," said Elizabeth. She smirked. "Plus, I insulted the class and the Ministry. Got quite a lot of detentions, like you Potter. Different times, though. Probably doesn't want her illegal activities to spread."

"Illegal activities?" questioned Ginny with a frown. "I thought you were only writing lines?"

Damn it, she forgot that she managed to hide it from Ginny. She was doing so well too.

"Er, so Granger, do you know a spell that can stop people from blurting out about the group?" asked Elizabeth, trying to change the subject.

"I am not changing the subject," said Ginny, showing her strange skill of noticing Elizabeth's verbal manipulations. "What is she doing that is illegal?"

"When did you get the detentions?" questioned Potter. "And what did she make you write?"

"First class," Elizabeth answered, throwing Potter a grateful look. She wanted to prolong the explosion. "And it was 'I mustn't insult my betters.' Stupid thing, really. What did she make you write?"

"'I must not tell lies,'" stated Potter.

Elizabeth chuckled. "Wow, that's going to bite her on the arse later. You can use it against her or the Ministry later so they know you're telling the truth while throwing the corruption of Umbitch and the Ministry. Anyways, I noticed it, but I couldn't read it."

"How did you—"

"You didn't exactly hide it," Elizabeth said dryly.

"Elizabeth, if you do not tell me right now…" Ginny threatened.

Elizabeth showed Ginny her hand after letting down her glamour. As Ginny stared at it in shock, Elizabeth continued. "Plus, it's on your wand hand. When you took out your wand to threaten me, I saw it. You should put a glamour on it."

"Don't know how to," said Potter sheepishly.

"I'm sure Granger knows," Elizabeth said dismissively.

But whether or not Granger knew how to, they wouldn't know (well, at least at that point in time). Ginny, who had finally got over her shock, let out a string of curses and death threats that made Granger, Potter, and Weasley stare at her in surprise. Elizabeth, who was expecting this, sighed.

"Ginny!" Granger exclaimed, astonished.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" yelled Ginny, at both Potter and Elizabeth.

"It's between me and her," said Potter, a bit foolishly.

"Although I do have some political power, I probably don't have enough to bring Umbitch down," stated Elizabeth. "Potter, though, might."

"Political power?" questioned Granger, turning Ginny away from her anger. Good.

"Do you guys not realize…?" Elizabeth scoffed. "Of course, Gryffindors."

The four Gryffindors glared at Elizabeth. She shrugged.

"You lot aren't exactly known for your attention to politics," Elizabeth said dryly. "But, as I was going to say before having to defend myself, Potter is the Boy-Who-Lived. Although many people think he's crazy, if he raised some doubts and then had others who were in detention with Umbitch speak about the blood quills…Well, testimony from one crazy person and quite a lot of sane persons would help. Plus, blood quills are illegal…I wonder how she managed to sneak them in anyways. Of course, I would build a strong defence. Talk to everyone who had detentions with her and wouldn't mind going to court about it. Make sure no one talks about the class because teachers are allowed to just make students read the book, plus it _is _Ministry approved. Blood quills, on the other hand, are illegal in every way. Of course, if we do kick Umbitch out, we may get another horrible teacher.

"Who could be worse than Umbi-Umbridge?" questioned Weasley after the four of them silently absorbed her babbling, changing the name halfway when Granger glared at him.

"It's the Ministry," Elizabeth said as if that explained everything. At the blank looks, Elizabeth explained further. "It's full of incompetent people. Aside from Mr. Weasley, the Order of the Phoenix, and my father that is."

The Gryffindors startled. From the corner of her eye, Elizabeth noticed a witch tensing as well. Interesting.

"What order?" questioned Granger, trying to seem ignorant.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Come off it, Granger. Voldemort—" (Ginny and Weasley flinched) "—came back, so Dumbledore wouldn't **not **revive the O.P."

"Whatever you say," said Ginny, trying to act dubious.

"Either way, we're going to have an incompetent teacher," concluded Elizabeth. "I would rather it be the enemy that we know rather an enemy we don't. Now, getting back on topic…" She grabbed her wand, pointed to the paper, and muttered something. The paper glowed white and Elizabeth signed the paper.

"There, now people can't talk about it unless with other members," stated Elizabeth. "If other people are in listening range, all they will hear is a buzzing. You should probably let everyone know." She nodded to the three fifth year Gryffindors. "Granger, Weasley, Potter. C'mon Ginny, let's find Luna…"

**A/N: Yeah, a really long drabble. Not sure why. xD It seems random, but this is honestly how I have conversations, so this is all I know. J Ah, to have a conversation that doesn't go horribly off topic…**


	3. Meeting Luna: First Year

**_Meeting Luna: First Year_**

Elizabeth wasn't sure why she had stopped. Perhaps it was just intuition that stopped her. Perhaps she was meant to meet Luna like that. Either way, Elizabeth had stopped on the corner of a hallway, hearing voices. She peered around the corner using her 'mad ninja skillz' and blinked.

Four girls, either second years or third years, were surrounding a small, blonde girl. All five of them seemed to be in Ravenclaw, which was strange. Ravenclaws weren't exactly known for their ganging up on a fellow student, especially from their own house. Elizabeth tried to recall the name of the blonde girl and suddenly remembered her from the Sorting. What was her name…Ah, yes, Luna Lovegood. She had been the name right before Elizabeth's.

"Hey, Loony, where's your weird animals now?" questioned one of the girls.

"Is your animal opening the Chamber of Secrets?" mock-asked another girl.

"Oh no," said Lovegood dreamily. "Everyone knows a Basilisk is the monster in the Chamber of Secrets."

Elizabeth made sure to check up on Basilisks, even if Lovegood usually made up animals. Actually, Elizabeth had heard about Lovegood from the other first years. They all thought she was a joke.

Suddenly, one of the girls pushed Lovegood so hard that her head smacked against the wall.

"Poor Loony, Loony Lovegood," the fourth girl taunted. "All alone in her fantasy world with no one there with her."

Elizabeth had seen enough. She stepped out of the corner. "Hey, idiots!"

The four Ravenclaw bullies turned around. Lovegood, however, stared dreamingly at the opposite wall.

"Oh, I guess you guys are idiots then," stated Elizabeth, smirking and wondering how such a ploy managed to work. Weren't students from Ravenclaw supposed to be intelligent? "You did turn around."

The first girl growled. "Slytherin, what are you doing here?"

"Apparently, helping a follow first year Ravenclaw from bullies like you," replied Elizabeth.

"A Slytherin? Helping people? What lies," spat one of the Ravenclaws.

Elizabeth smiled. "Ravenclaws? Bullying people and making general arses of themselves? Oh, how shocking…"

"Rictusempra!" shouted one of the Ravenclaws.

Elizabeth, who hadn't been expecting the attack, doubled over in laughter, breathless in her glee.

"What is going on here?" asked a stern voice.

A blast of light later and Elizabeth was able to stop laughing. She glanced to look at who was the stern voice and blinked. It was Professor McGonagall. She glanced sternly at everyone in the hallway, including Lovegood who was clapping her hands weirdly.

"This Slytherin was attacking us!" exclaimed one of the Ravenclaws. "We were only defending ourselves!"

"Yes, because a first year would definitely ambush five Ravenclaws, four of them being in a year higher than me," said Elizabeth dryly. "What _really _happened was that I saw the four upperclassmen bullying Luna Lovegood. I tried to stop it, by _talking_, and they attacked me."

Although everyone but Professor McGonagall knew what Elizabeth said was the truth, Elizabeth was worried that Professor McGonagall wouldn't believe her. She was a Slytherin, after all, and they weren't exactly known for stopping bullies; they were bullies.

"Miss Lovegood?" asked Professor McGonagall kindly. "Would you care to tell me what happened?"

Good, at least Professor McGonagall was smart enough to ask from a non-biased opinion. Well, possibly non-biased.

Lovegood blinked, stopping her clapping. "I'm sorry, but there were too many nargles," she told everyone sadly. "I was just trying to bat them away when my housemates came. They were saying something that I suspect was due to the nargles and Moreau came to stop them. The nargles then controlled the Ravenclaws to curse Moreau and then you came and that was it."

The Ravenclaw girls had a shocked look on their face. Elizabeth smirked. Although Lovegood was speaking some nonsense about nargles, it was still the truth.

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Ten points from Ravenclaw and detentions for all four of you. Five points to Slytherin for helping a fellow student in need."

It seemed that the rumours were true; Professor McGonagall _was _fair.

All four of the upperclassmen left, grumbling and glaring at Lovegood and Elizabeth. Whoops, Elizabeth might have made Lovegood's life harder. When they were all gone, including Professor McGonagall, Lovegood walked up to Elizabeth and held out a hand.

"My name is Luna Lovegood," Lovegood said. "You can call me Luna. What's your name?"

"Elizabeth Moreau," said Elizabeth. "You can call me Elizabeth as well. Let me know if those Ravenclaws bother you again, okay?"

"Want to be friends?" asked Luna brashly.

Elizabeth blinked, and then smiled. It had been a while that she could truly and honestly call someone her friend. If being Luna's friend offered her more protection, then she was all the more willing to do so. "Alright then."

From then on, Luna and Elizabeth were friends.

A/N: Urgh, horrible, I know. It fails epically, I'm sorry. D: Very short too. ;~; It's alright, it's not like anyone ever _reads_ this anyways…


	4. Ministry Part 1: Fourth Year

_Ministry: Fourth Year _

Elizabeth wasn't quite sure how she got here. She was fairly good at defence, somehow managing to be one of the best in the D.A., and then she was suddenly roped into a rescue mission to the Ministry. She blamed Ginny. Elizabeth knew that if she went through with this, she would be an even bigger enemy to most, if not all, of the Slytherin house. Although not everyone supported Voldemort, they at least had the protection of being a Pureblood behind them. Although her father was a Burke, and therefore related to the Black family as well, her mother was a muggle and she had been outspoken against Voldemort and his views ever since her very first day. Although that probably wasn't the smartest idea, she wasn't about to let her mother be insulted in front of her. That was probably why the Hat thought that she would make a good Gryffindor, although she had to admit that she loved Slytherin. Yet, she really hoped that Professor Snape was a spy. Even if he had to act like an arse, she would still feel safer.

After escaping from her housemates, Elizabeth smirked at the memory of Malfoy's face, Weasley, Longbottom, Ginny, Luna, and Elizabeth managed to catch up to Granger and Potter. For some reason, Granger and Potter were pretty bloody, hopefully not their blood, and they were currently arguing as to who had to stay and go.

"Neville, Ginny, Luna, and…Elizabeth, stay," said Potter forcefully. Elizabeth blinked. Potter called her by her first name? Did that mean they were friends?

At once, all of those named, except for Elizabeth, protested.

Elizabeth frowned. Did she want to go to the Ministry? It would mean that she would have to be very careful in her own house. However, with her capture meant that the Slytherins already knew what side she was on. Sure, she never hid it, but she hadn't actually physically opposed Voldemort or tried to stop his plans. Still, she hated Voldemort and everything that he believed in. What would her mother say if she saw her daughter hesitating? Her mother would be very disappointed in her, that was for sure…

"Elizabeth?" Potter-Harry's voice brought herself out of her thoughts. "Please, stay. You don't need to risk your life. You don't know Sirius at all."

Elizabeth shrugged. "Maybe I have a 'people saving thing' as well. Shut up and let's hurry. Your godfather needs saving."

"You have more to lose by coming with us," protested Harry. "Your house…"

"I'm already known as a mudblood lover and as a mudblood in general in my own house," Elizabeth said, smirking. "Why don't we make it official?"

"Alright, how are we going to get there?" questioned Ginny. "Only Ron, Elizabeth, and me have brooms as Harry's broom is locked up."

"There are other ways of flying of course," said Luna.

"Just because you can sprout wings whenever you want, doesn't mean that the rest of us can," said Weasley rudely.

"Weasley, shut up," Elizabeth snapped. "Don't talk to Luna like that. She means Thestrals."

"They are attracted to the scent of blood and Harry and Hermione have quite a lot on them," added on Luna, smiling serenely at Elizabeth.

As soon as Luna said this, two Thestrals arrived. Elizabeth both liked and loathed Thestrals. She hated the reminder they gave her, but knew that they were quite gentle and fairly loving creatures.

"Okay, Ron and I will use these two Thestrals as Hermione stays behind to get new Thestrals—" Harry stopped at the protests.

"We don't need to wait," said Luna. She was right, five more Thestrals had arrived. "You two must really smell."

Elizabeth had to stifle a laugh. It probably wouldn't be appreciated in this situation.

Granger, Weasley, and Ginny had to be helped to and onto a Thestral. Harry had moved towards Elizabeth, as if to help her on her chosen Thestral, when Elizabeth calmly climbed on the Thestral.

"You can see them?" Harry said, surprised.

Elizabeth stifled the sarcastic comment that came to mind. "Yes," Elizabeth said shortly.

"Who did you—never mind," said Harry before climbing onto another Thestral. Elizabeth knew what he was going to ask and was glad that Harry didn't ask. She still felt guilty about that death. Sometimes, she still had nightmares about that night. Plus, there was this summer too…

Elizabeth shook her head as if to physically rid herself of her thoughts.

It was time to go to the Ministry.

-x-

It was a trap. Damn it, it was a trap. It was a trap for a prophecy about Voldemort and, perhaps, Harry. When Harry had picked up the prophecy, Lucius Malfoy appeared with other Death Eaters. She even recognized one of them, Bellatrix Lestrange. Elizabeth couldn't believe that she was related to such an insane person. Azkaban really did make people go insane. As the normal bad guy VS good guy talk went under way, Elizabeth was glad that they didn't seem to notice her Slytherin tie and crest. They probably would have killed her as fast as they could, which was probably very fast. Although, she would rather herself get attacked than Ginny, like they were threatening. Elizabeth stood closer to Ginny, glaring at the group. No one threatened Ginny but her. And maybe her brothers, but that was it!

After hearing the signal, as her…teammates(?) destroyed some prophecies using Reducto, Elizabeth shot a stunner at one of the Death Eaters and ran for it with the others. She didn't even stop to see if her stunner had landed. No, she knew that they needed to run and run fast.

She saw Weasley, Ginny, and Luna overtaking Harry, Granger, Longbottom, and herself. She protected her head from the falling glass and noticed Harry getting hit by a prophecy to the face. A hand had also grasped his shoulder and as Elizabeth was about to curse the Death Eater, Granger was faster and stunned the Death Eater. The four of them ran into the hall.

"Colloportus!" Elizabeth said to the door. The door sealed itself. All four of them were breathing fairly heavily, Granger seemingly the worst. Elizabeth seemed to be the best, but that was because she exercised in the muggle world. One never knew when one needs Tae Kwon Do in the wizarding world.

"Where – where are the others?" gasped Harry.

Elizabeth frowned. "Weasley, Ginny, Luna…They're not here!"

"They must have gone the wrong way!" exclaimed Granger.

"Listen!" commanded Longbottom.

Everyone immediately went silent. Footsteps and shouts echoed from behind the door Elizabeth had just sealed. They could all hear Malfoy Senior yelling out orders. "Leave Nott, leave him, I say — his injuries will be nothing to the Dark Lord compared to losing that prophecy. Jugson, come back here, we need to organize! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary - Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left; Crabbe, Rabastan, go right -Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead - Macnair and Avery, through here - Rookwood, over there - Mulciber, come with me!"

"Colloportus," Elizabeth re-whispered to the door. "That should hold them off for a few more minutes."

"What do we do?" Granger asked Harry, trembling.

"Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start," said Harry. "Let's get away from this door."

They all ran as quietly as they could from the door. They went towards the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They almost made it when Elizabeth heard a heavy thump against the wall before someone used 'Alohomora' to opened the door. As the door flew open, everyone dived under the desks. They could all see the bottom of the two Death Eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly.

"They must've run straight through to the hall," said the rough voice.

"Check under the desks," said another.

Elizabeth could see the knees of someone bend near Harry's desk. Then, she could see the wand from Harry's desk. Harry then shouted, "Stupefy!"

A jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater; he fell backwards into a grandfather clock and knocked it over; the second Death Eater, however, had leapt aside to avoid Harry's spell and was pointing his own wand at Granger**, **who was crawling out from under the desk to get a better aim.

"Avada –"

Elizabeth leapt from behind the desk. "Silencio!"

As the Death Eater couldn't speak, Harry launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater around the knees, causing him to topple. Longbottom, who rushed from out of the desk, managed to topple it and cried out, "Harry, get out of the way!" Harry flew himself sideways and Longbottom stunned the Death Eater, whose head flew into a bell jar.

"Good job, Neville," complimented Harry. "Right, let's get out of here—"

"What the hell…?" said Elizabeth, staring at the head in shock.

The other three raised their wands, but none of them struck: they were all gazing, open-mouthed, appalled, at what was happening to the man's head. It was shrinking very fast, growing balder and balder, the black hair and stubble retracting into his skull; his cheeks becoming smooth, his skull round and covered with a peach like fuzz…A baby's head now sat grotesquely on top of the thick, muscled neck of the Death Eater as he struggled to get up again; but even as they watched, their mouths open, the head began to swell to its previous proportions again; thick black hair was sprouting from the pate and chin…

"It's time," Granger said in awe. "Time…"

The Death Eater shook his ugly head again, trying to clear it, but before he could pull himself together it began to shrink back to babyhood once more…

There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream.

"RON?" Harry yelled, turning quickly from the monstrous transformation taking place before them.

Elizabeth pointed her wand at Harry. "Silencio!"

Harry immediately stopped shouting. He turned to Elizabeth with a glare.

"You were about to give away our position to the Death Eaters," stated Elizabeth. "Finite Incantatum."

"Thanks," said Harry. "And sorry."

"No problem," Elizabeth said.

"Harry!" Granger screamed, ripping the two from their conversation.

The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the bell jar. His appearance was utterly bizarre, his tiny baby's head bawling loudly while his thick arms flailed dangerously in all directions, narrowly missing Harry, who had ducked. Harry raised his wand, but Granger grabbed his arm.

"You can't hurt a baby!" Granger exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter, let's move!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

However, they could all hear footsteps. Even with Harry's one shout, it seemed that the Death Eaters heard Harry and it gave away their position.

"Come on!" Harry exclaimed, leaving the ugly baby-headed Death Eater staggering behind them they took off for the door that stood open at the other end of the room, leading back into the black hallway.

They had run halfway towards it when Elizabeth saw through the open door two more Death Eaters running across the black room towards them; veering left, Harry burst instead into a small, dark, cluttered office and slammed the door behind them.

"Collo—" started Granger, but before she could finish the spell, the two Death Eaters had come hurtling inside.

With a cry a triumph, and before anyone could react, both yelled, "IMPEDIMENTA!"

Harry, Granger, Longbottom, and Elizabeth were all knocked backwards of their feet; Longbottom was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view; Granger smashed into a bookcase and was promptly deluged in a cascade of heavy books; the back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind him; and Elizabeth was hurtled into a metal cabinet. The pain of the handles smashing into her back made her forget where she was for a moment.

"WE'VE GOT HIM!" yelled the Death Eater nearest Harry. "IN AN OFFICE OFF—"

"Silencio!" Granger cried and the man's voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out. He was thrust aside by his fellow Death Eater.

"Petrificus Totalus!" shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell forward, face down on to the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move.

"Well done, Ha—"

But the Death Eater Granger just cursed made a sudden slashing movement with his wand; a streak of what looked like purple flame passed right across Granger's chest. She gave a tiny "Oh!" as though of surprise and crumpled on to the floor, where she lay motionless. Elizabeth recognized the curse as the Punctum Hex, a curse that was nearly just as deadly as the Killing Curse.

"Hermione!" exclaimed Harry as he fell to his knees beside her.

"Stupefy!" Elizabeth pointed to the Death Eater, who hadn't been paying attention to her. He crumbled instantly.

Longbottom crawled rapidly towards her from under the desk, his wand held up in front of him.

Before anyone could make another move, the baby-headed Death Eater ran through the door. Elizabeth, who was the only one not focused on Hermione, shouted out, "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" The Death Eater fell down rigidly, unable to move.

"Hermione," Harry said, not even paying attention to anything that had happened around him. "Hermione, wake up…"

"What did he do to her?" said Longbottom, crawling out from under the desk to kneel at her side.

"It's the Punctum Hex," stated Elizabeth. "It is nearly as deadly as the Killing Curse."

Harry let out a moan of despair.

"He had to do it silently, which means that it would be weaker than it would be if he did it verbally," stated Elizabeth.

Longbottom groped for Granger's wrist.

"That's a pulse, Harry, I'm sure it is."

Elizabeth could see the relief on Harry's body language.

"She's alive?"

"Yes, I think so."

There was a pause as everyone listened hard for more footsteps, but all they could hear were the whimpers and blunderings of the baby-headed Death Eater in the next room.

"Neville, Elizabeth, we're not far from the exit," Harry whispered, "we're right next to the circular room…if we can just get you all across it and find the right door before any more Death Eaters come, I'll bet you both can get Hermione up the corridor and into the lift…then you could find someone…raise the alarm."

"And what would you do?" asked Longbottom.

Elizabeth frowned. Harry kept on talking only about herself, Longbottom, and Granger. That meant…

"I've got to find the others," said Harry.

"Oh hell no," said Elizabeth. "You are not going to find Ginny and Luna and even Weasley without me. Ginny and Luna are my friends and I'm not leaving without them!"

"Then Neville…" Harry started to say.

"I'm going with you both to find them," said Longbottom firmly.

"But Hermione—"

"We'll take her with us," said Longbottom firmly. "I'll carry her—you two are better at fighting than I am."

Longbottom stood up and seized one of Granger's arms, glaring at Harry, who hesitated, then grabbed the other and, with Elizabeth, helped hoist Granger's limp form over Longbottom's shoulders.

"Wait," said Harry, grabbing Granger's wand. Harry put Granger's wand in his pocket. "Okay, let's go."

Elizabeth took the lead. She stuck her head outside the door and looked around carefully. The baby-headed Death Eater was causing a fuss.

"It's alright," she whispered.

They crept out of the office and back towards the door into the black hallway, which now seemed completely deserted. They walked a few steps forwards, Longbottom tottering slightly due to Granger's weight; the door of the Time Room swung shut behind them and the walls began to rotate once more. The recent blow on the back of Harry's head seemed to have unsteadied him; Elizabeth noticed him narrowing his eyes and swaying slightly. Sadly, it seemed that Granger's fiery crosses had faded from the door due to the fact she was unconscious.

"So which way d'you reck—?" asked Harry, but before they could reach a decision, a door to their right sprang open and three people fell out of it.

"Ginny, Luna!" exclaimed Elizabeth as she rushed towards them.

"Ron!" croaked Harry, dashing towards them. "Ginny - are you all -?"

"Harry," said Weasley, giggling weakly, lurching forward, seizing the front of Harry's robes and gazing at him with unfocused eyes, "there you are…ha ha ha…you look funny, Harry…you're all messed up…"

Weasley's face was very white and something dark was trickling from the corner of his mouth. Next moment his knees had given way, but he still clutched the front of Harry's robes, so that Harry was pulled into a kind of bow.

"Ginny?" Harry said fearfully. "What happened?"

But Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle.

"I think her ankle is broken, I heard something crack," whispered Luna, who was bending over her and who alone seemed to be unhurt. Elizabeth was right next to her. "Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets; it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark –"

"Harry, we saw Uranus up close!" said Weasley, still giggling feebly. "Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus – ha ha ha –"

A bubble of blood grew at the corner of Ron's mouth and burst.

"- anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot, I used the Reductor Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but…"

Luna gestured hopelessly at Ginny, who was breathing in a very shallow way, her eyes still closed.

Elizabeth pointed her wand at Ginny's ankle. "Sorry if this doesn't work but…Episkey!"

There was a snap and Ginny's breathing hitched as her ankle snapped back into alignment. She tried to move her ankle, but it still hurt if she turned it too much or put too much pressure on it. That meant walking, not too much running unless really necessary.

"Thanks," Ginny whispered.

"No problem," replied Elizabeth.

"And what about Ron?" said Harry fearfully, as Weasley continued to giggle, still hanging off the front of Harry's robes.

"I don't know what they hit him with," said Luna sadly, "but he's gone a bit funny, I could hardly get him along at all."

Elizabeth turned her wand to Weasley. "Finite Incantatum."

Weasley seemed to get a hold of himself as he grabbed his head as if he had a headache. "Ow…What happened? Everything's gone a bit funny…"

"Thanks," said Harry gratefully to Elizabeth, who shrugged.

"Either way, we've got to get out of here," said Elizabeth firmly. "Ginny, I know that your ankle is mostly better, but you still need to keep pressure off of it. In fact, Ferula."

A splint and bandages appeared, wrapping itself on Ginny's ankle. It probably helped with the pain, but it would cause Ginny to walk funny.

"I don't need any help," Ginny said angrily.

"Shut up and let us help you," Elizabeth retorted.

Without letting Ginny reply, Luna tucked her wand behind her ear for safekeeping, then putting an arm around Ginny's waist and pulled her up.

They all went towards a door when suddenly three Death Eaters ran in, led by Bellatrix Lestrange.

"There they are!" she shrieked. This was Malfoy's aunt? Wow, for once in her life, Elizabeth felt sorry for him. Even if she was related to her too, but still.

Stunning spells shot across the room: Harry, who was in the front, smashed his way through the door, everyone else quickly following after. They were all over the threshold just in time to slam the door against Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Colloportus!" shouted Harry. Elizabeth heard three bodies slam into the door on the other side.

"It doesn't matter!" said a man's voice. "There are other ways in - WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!"

Elizabeth glanced around. They were right; there were other doors all around the walls. She could hear footsteps in the hall behind them as more Death Eaters came to join the first.

"Everyone, come on!" Harry shouted.

Everyone who could move relatively well and knew the spells went around the room. There were footsteps running along behind the doors, every now and then another heavy body would launch itself against one, so it creaked and shuddered. Suddenly, Elizabeth heard Luna cry:

"Collo—aaaaaargh…"

She turned around just in time to see her flying through the air; five Death Eaters were surging into the room through the door she had not reached in time. Elizabeth saw Luna flying through the air and reacted. "Locum*!"

Luna was placed on the floor beneath the desk. She was still knocked out from whatever spell had hit her.

"Get Potter!" Bellatrix Lestrange shrieked, and she ran at him; he dodged her and sprinted back up the room.

As they were all focused on Harry, Elizabeth pointed at a few of them. "Rictusempra! Stupefy! Pusexsilio**! Stupefy! Obscuro! Stupefy!"

Only two were hit by the curses. One of them was hit by Pusexsilio and yellow pus went gushing out of his nose. The next stunner put him out of his misery. Another was hit by the Obscuro and was then knocked out by the stunner. Ginny had tried to move out of the way of an incoming stunner from the Death Eaters, but was unable to due to her ankle not agreeing with her. She too, fell to the floor unconscious. Longbottom and Weasley were also sending curses, but without any luck. One of the Death Eaters shot their own Stunning Spell at Longbottom and it managed to hit. Longbottom was down and it was only Weasley, herself, and Harry left.

Two of the Death Eaters sent off streams of silver light like arrows which missed but left craters in the wall behind them.

"Oi, you nearly cut off my head!" Weasley yelled.

"I think that's their aim!" Elizabeth shouted. "Watch out!"

But it was too late. With another stunner, Weasley was down. It was only Harry and herself left. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Harry running as Bellatrix Lestrange raced after him. Elizabeth knew that he was probably trying to lead them away from her and their fallen teammates in an act of self-sacrifice, but she rolled her eyes anyways. However, it seemed to work. The Death Eaters streaked after him, knocking chairs and tables flying. After hiding the others with Luna, Elizabeth sprinted after them. She ran a few feet into the new room and felt the floor vanish. She was falling, but managed to send down a cushioning charm so that the fall wouldn't hurt. Elizabeth glanced up. She saw Harry near the veil and saw him surrounded by Death Eaters.

"Let - let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" said Harry desperately.

A few of the Death Eaters laughed.

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," said Lucius Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. "You see, there are eight*** of us and only one of you… or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?"

"Stupefy, stupefy, stupefy, stupefy," she whispered. Only one of them managed to land a hit, on Dolohov. The other three were blocked by the Death Eaters. Suddenly, a large Death Eater seized Elizabeth from behind, pinioning her arms at her sides. She struggled and kicked, making her seem weak, trying to find the right moment to free herself. She was _really _glad for Tae Kwon Do training. Several Death Eaters laughed.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" sneered Lucius Malfoy. "A little girl trying to play with the big boys? Why don't you go back to playing dollies and tea parties?"

"Why don't you take Malfoy with you and leave the country?" snapped Elizabeth.

"Stupid little Gryffindor, thinking that this is all fun and games—" Lucius Malfoy started to say before being interrupted by Bellatrix Lestrange.

"No, she's not a Gryffindor, are you?" stated Bellatrix Lestrange. "Do you not see the colours on her? She's a Slytherin!"

All of the Death Eaters were silent.

"You little blood traitor," Bellatrix Lestrange snarled. "Soiling our good house with your kind of fifth! YOU ARE A DISGRACE! YOU'RE FAMILY SHOULD BE ASHAMED!"

"I'm glad you approve, aunt," Elizabeth sneered. Everyone startled in shock, even Harry. Damn, there went _that _secret. "Why so surprised? I am a Burke, you know."

"Liar!" shouted Bellatrix Lestrange. "CRUCIO!"

Elizabeth screamed. She felt as if her bones were on fire, like her skin was being squeezed and then stretched to their limits, as if corkscrews were twisting in her hand, she just wanted it to end. She hadn't even realized that the Death Eater holding her dropped her; all she felt was the pain.

Bellatrix Lestrange's voice was dim through the pain. She couldn't see anything; she couldn't hear…Suddenly, the pain was gone. Elizabeth was left panting on the floor. She felt proud that she wasn't actually crying, but felt embarrassed that she had screamed. However, Elizabeth knew it was worth it. Even if she did give away her secret.

"Now, Potter, give us the prophecy or I'll have even more fun torturing this little liar," Bellatrix Lestrange snarled.

"Harry…you give it…to her…and I…will never…forgive…you…" Elizabeth managed to say between pants.

"Still resilient are you?" Bellatrix Lestrange asked. "Crucio!"

The horrible pain was back. She screamed, but as soon as she screamed, the pain went away. She dimly realized that people had burst in and some of the Death Eaters were stunned. She didn't know how, but she managed to move herself. In another moment, Harry was by her.

"Are you okay?" he yelled, as another spell soared inches over their heads.

"Peachy keen," Elizabeth said in return.

"Are you really—?"

"Is this really the time for this?!" she shouted.

A stunner had nearly hit her hand and they both scrambled away from the spot. Then a thick arm came out of nowhere and seized Harry around the neck, but went no farther than that, for Elizabeth, who had noticed that thick arm grabbing Harry away, turned around and pointed her wand at the Death Eater. "Stupefy!"

The Death Eater went down.

"Thanks," Harry said to Elizabeth, pulling her aside as Sirius Black and his Death Eater lurched past, duelling so fiercely that their wands were blurs. Harry pointed his wand at the Death Eater Sirius was fighting and said, "Petrificus Totalus!"

"Nice one!" Sirius Black shouted to Harry. "Now, I want you and the girl to—"

All three of them ducked; the Killing Curse nearly hitting Sirius Black. So, he was one of the good guys. Good to know. Across the room, Elizabeth could see one of the Order members fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat and Bellatrix Lestrange, triumphant, running back towards the fray.

"Harry, take the prophecy and the girl and run!" Sirius Black yelled, dashing to meet Bellatrix Lestrange. Elizabeth did not get to see what happened next as another Order member swayed across her field of vision, battling someone she recognized to be Rockwood. She noticed another green light flying over their heads as they ducked.

"Can you run?" Harry yelled.

"And leave Sirius Black to himself? Are you mad?" yelled Elizabeth. "Bellatrix Lestrange is one of the best duellers in the world! Sirius Black may be formidable, but he won't stand a chance!"

"It doesn't matter!" Harry replied. "Sirius told us—"

Suddenly, a man lunged at them. Both dodged to the side, luckily not being hit by any of the stray curses.

"Give me the prophecy, Potter!" snarled Lucius Malfoy, his wand pointing towards Harry.

"Deprimo!" shouted Elizabeth. Lucius Malfoy felt to the ground, face first, due to the pressure of gravity. His nose broke from hitting the floor too hard.

"Stupefy!" Harry exclaimed, pointing it at Lucius Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy went down.

Then, another Death Eater came at them, but Professor Lupin managed to get into his way.

"Harry, round up the others and GO!" he shouted.

"Elizabeth, let's go!" Harry shouted. "What's more important is keeping the prophecy out of Voldemort's hands!"

As he started to run, Harry hadn't noticed the stray spell flying at him; the Killing Curse. Then again, even if he had, he wouldn't have been able to stop himself at all. Elizabeth reacted fast. "Trinus****!"

Harry immediately tripped and dodged the green light. However, he wasn't expecting that and the prophecy broke on the floor. Both of them stared at it in shock for a second before Elizabeth started apologizing and Harry stood up.

"I didn't mean for the prophecy to be smashed! I'm so sorry, you were right about to be hit by the Killing Curse and…" Elizabeth started.

"It's okay, let's just keep moving," Harry stated.

Elizabeth stared wide-eyed. "Dumbledore!"

Harry immediately turned around. Directly above them, framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. Elizabeth felt relieved; there was no doubt in her mind that they would make it safe. The same thought seemed to be running through Harry's mind as he didn't try to leave.

Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realized he was there and yelled to the others. One of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line -

Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Sirius Black and Bellatrix Lestrange were still fighting. Sirius Black had dodged a red curse from Bellatrix Lestrange and was laughing at her.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

Elizabeth saw it coming and reacted. "Descendo!" she shouted, pointing at Sirius Black. Sirius Black immediately fell face first on the floor, Bellatrix Lestrange's second curse missing him by inches.

Harry also had his wand out and pointed it at Bellatrix Lestrange. "Stupefy!"

With the time it took Bellatrix Lestrange to bat it away, which was practically no time at all, Elizabeth had released Sirius Black from the jinx. Sirius Black had rolled over and stood up as Bellatrix Lestrange faced towards Harry and Elizabeth.

"So the little liar interferes again," Bellatrix Lestrange snarled. "Never again! Avada Kedavra!"

Both Elizabeth and Harry ducked and the curse sailed over their heads, nearly hitting Elizabeth. Sirius Black had continued to attack Bellatrix Lestrange, this time with another Order member joining in. Seeing the combined forces, Bellatrix Lestrange managed to hit the Order member with the same curse that hit Granger, causing him to crumble to the floor and dodging Sirius Black's curse as she ran for it. Sirius Black made to go after her, but was distracted when another Death Eater attacked him. Elizabeth saw Harry's face contort in rage and knew that he knew that Order member. In a second, Harry sprinted after Bellatrix Lestrange and Elizabeth followed. She wasn't going to let Harry face Bellatrix Lestrange by himself.

Plus, she really did owe Bellatrix Lestrange back for those Crucios.

***Locum is the made up incantation I made for the Placement Charm mentioned in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"**

**** Pusexsilio is the made up incantation I made up for the Pus-Squirting Hex. I'm not sure where it's from, but I saw it on Harry Potter wiki**

***** Because two extra Death Eaters were taken out by Elizabeth and they hadn't felt like reviving them. **

******Trinus is the made up incantation for the Tripping Hex used by Draco Malfoy in the fifth book. (So this year. xD)**

**A/N: Yay! Sirius doesn't die! Like I said, this was completely AU. Yes, all of the spells used was researched and taken from Harry Potter wiki. Some incantations are completely made up, those, and noted above. And yes, I just ended it on a cliff-hanger. Don't worry, I already have it written. It'll go on either in a week or when I get…five reviews. Whichever is faster. :) I would normally say ten, but I highly doubt this story is going to be THAT popular. Just the word "OC" probably had most people running for the hills…As for the mysterious Order member…well, you'll see.**


	5. Ministry Part 2: Fourth Year

_Ministry Part Two: Fourth Year_

They were back in the room where the brains were swimming. Bellatrix Lestrange aimed a curse over her shoulder. The tank rose into the air and tipped. They were both deluged in the foul-smelling potion within: the brains slipped and slid over them and began spinning their long coloured tentacles, but Harry shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!" and they flew off them up into the air. Slipping and sliding, they ran on towards the door; they leapt over Luna, who was groaning on the floor; past Ginny, who said, "Harry – Elizabeth – what?"; past Weasley who, like Luna, was groaning; and Granger, who was still unconscious. Harry wrenched open the door into the circular black hall and they both saw Bellatrix disappearing through a door on the other side of the room; beyond her was the corridor leading back to the lifts.

They ran, but she had slammed the door behind her and the walls were already rotating. Once more, they were surrounded by streaks of blue light from the whirling candelabra.

"Where's the exit?" Harry shouted desperately, as the wall rumbled to a halt again. "Where's the way out?"

The room seemed to have been waiting for him to ask. The door right behind him flew open and the corridor towards the lifts stretched ahead of him, torch-lit and empty. They ran…

They could hear a lift clattering ahead; they sprinted up the passageway, swung around the corner and Harry slammed his fist on to the button to call a second lift. It jangled and banged lower and lower; the grilles slid open and they dashed inside, now hammering the button marked 'Atrium'. The doors slid shut and they were rising…

They forced their way out of the lift before the grilles were fully open and looked around. Bellatrix Lestrange was almost at the telephone lift at the other end of the hall, but she looked back as they sprinted towards her and aimed another spell at them. They both ducked behind the Fountain of Magical Brethren: the spell zoomed past them and hit the wrought gold gates at the other end of the Atrium so that they rang like bells. There were no more footsteps. She had stopped running. They crouched behind the stature, listening.

"Come out, come out, little Harry and his little whore!" she called in her mock baby voice, which not only echoed, but made Elizabeth want to either hex her or throw up. Probably both. "What did you both come after me for, then? I thought you were here to avenge that crazy Mad-Eye!"

"I am!" shouted Harry, which also echoed in the room.

"I'm only here 'cause this idiot ran off," Elizabeth stated, wondering what the hell she was doing trying to taunt Bellatrix-actually, she was wondering what the hell she was doing about to duel Bellatrix. She was known for her insane reflexes and while she was good and Harry was even better, even together, they were nowhere near Bellatrix's level.

Bellatrix Lestrange seemed to ignore Elizabeth. "Aaaaaah… did you love him, little baby Potter?"

Elizabeth wasn't quite sure how to explain what happened next. Harry had a _very_ scary look on his face before flinging himself out from behind the fountain and bellowed, "Crucio!"

Bellatrix Lestrange screamed: the spell had knocked her off her feet, but she did not writhe or shriek in pain. No, she was already back on her feet, breathless, no longer laughing.

Harry dodged behind the golden fountain again. Her counter-spell hit the head of the handsome wizard, which was blown off and landed twenty feet away, gouging long scratches into the wooden floor.

"Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy?" she yelled. She had abandoned her baby voice now. "You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain - to enjoy it - righteous anger won't hurt me for long - I'll show you how it is done, shall I? I'll give you a lesson –"

"Stupefy!" Elizabeth yelled, pointing her wand at Bellatrix Lestrange through one of the spaces of the statue. Bellatrix Lestrange batted it away as if it was nothing and shouted, "Crucio!"

Elizabeth was forced to duck down as the centaur's arm, holding its bow, span off and landed with a crash on the floor a short distance from the golden wizard's head.

"Even the two of you together cannot beat me!" she shouted, sounding quite demented.

Elizabeth knew she was moving in order to get a clear shot. Harry and Elizabeth moved so it would be harder for Bellatrix Lestrange to hit them with any kind of spell.

"I was and am the Dark Lord's most loyal servant. I learned the Dark Arts from him, and I know spells of such power that you, pathetic little boy and his little whore, can never hope to compete!"

Both Harry and Elizabeth sent stunners at her at the same time. However, she reacted so fast that they barely had time to duck.

"Protego!"

The jets of red light, their own stunners, bounced back at them. They both scrambled back behind the fountain as both of the Goblin's ears went clean off. Elizabeth nearly cursed. The rumours were true; she really did have inhuman speed in duelling.

"I'll give you both one more chance!" Bellatrix Lestrange shouted. "Give me the prophecy - roll it out towards me now - and I may spare both of your lives!"

"Well, you'll have to kill us because it's gone!" Harry roared. His face contorted with pain. "And he knows!" said Harry, with a mad laugh to match Bellatrix Lestrange's own. Elizabeth shivered. "Your dear old Voldemort knows it's gone! He's not going to be very happy with you, is he?"

"What? What do you mean?" she cried, and for the first time there was fear in her voice.

"The prophecy smashed when Elizabeth sent a Tripping Hex at me to save me from the Killing Curse! What do you think Voldemort'll say about that, then?"

"That he's very displeased and going to torture her," stated Elizabeth. She noticed that Harry's eyes were starting to stream. What was it that made him so much in pain? Bellatrix Lestrange hadn't managed to hit a curse on him! What was going on?

"LIAR!" she shrieked, but they could hear the terror behind the anger now. "YOU'VE GOT IT, POTTER, AND YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME! Accio prophecy! ACCIO PROPHECY!"

Harry laughed. He waved his empty hand from behind the no-eared goblin and withdrew it quickly as she set another jet of green light flying at them.

"Nothing there!" he shouted, sounding quite mad. "Nothing to summon! It smashed and nobody heard what it said, tell your boss that!"

Elizabeth had the feeling that Harry was enjoying it a little too much.

"No!" she screamed. "It isn't true, you're lying! MASTER, I TRIED, I TRIED - DO NOT PUNISH ME!"

"Don't waste your breath!" yelled Harry, his eyes screwed up against whatever pain was ailing him. "He can't hear you from here!"

And then she knew, due to Murphy's Law and the fact that Harry just tempted fate, that Voldemort was there. And she was right:

"Can't I, Potter?" said a high, cold voice.

Elizabeth gasped. She noticed Harry opening his eyes. Tall, thin and black-hooded, his terrible snakelike face white and gaunt, his scarlet, slit-pupilled eyes staring… Lord Voldemort had appeared in the middle of the hall, his wand pointing at Harry who stood frozen, quite unable to move.

"So, you smashed my prophecy?" said Voldemort softly, staring at Harry with those pitiless red eyes. "No, Bella, he is not lying… I see the truth looking at me from within his worthless mind… months of preparation, months of effort… and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again."

Elizabeth was _really_ glad that no one seemed to notice her.

"Master, I am sorry I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus Black!" sobbed Bellatrix, flinging herself down at Voldemort's feet as he paced slowly nearer. "Master, you should know…"

"Be quiet, Bella," said Voldemort dangerously. "I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your snivelling apologies?"

"But Master - he is here - he is below!"

Voldemort paid no attention.

"I have nothing more to say to you, Potter," he said quietly. "You have irked me too often, for too long. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Although Harry didn't react, Elizabeth immediately did. She tugged Harry away from the curse, just as the headless golden statue of the wizard in the fountain had sprung alive, leaping from its plinth to land with a crash on the floor between Harry and Elizabeth and Voldemort. The spell merely glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms to protect the two. Elizabeth made a mental note to remember that move. It seemed that there was a counter to the unblockable Killer Curse after all.

"What -?" cried Voldemort, staring around. And then he breathed, "Dumbledore!"

Both Harry and Elizabeth turned around. Dumbledore was standing in front of the golden gates.

Voldemort raised his wand and another jet of green light streaked at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak. Next second, he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand towards the remnants of the fountain. The other statues sprang to life. The statue of the witch ran at Bellatrix Lestrange, who screamed and sent spells streaming uselessly off its chest, before it dived at her, pinning her to the floor. Elizabeth felt a great satisfaction at seeing that.

Meanwhile, the goblin and the house-elf scuttled towards the fireplaces set along the wall and the one-armed centaur galloped at Voldemort, who vanished and reappeared beside the pool. The headless statue thrust both Elizabeth Harry backwards, away from the fight, as Dumbledore advanced on Voldemort and the golden centaur cantered around them both.

"It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom," said Dumbledore calmly. Tom? Tom? Voldemort's real name was Tom? Oh, that was really hilarious. If she made it out of there, she would tell the rest of her house and _laugh_. "The Aurors are on their way."

"By which time I shall be gone, and you will be dead!" spat Voldemort.

He sent another killing curse at Dumbledore but missed, instead hitting the security guard's desk, which burst into flame.

Dumbledore flicked his own wand: the force of the spell that emanated from it was such that Elizabeth, though shielded by Harry and Elizabeth's golden guard, felt her hair stand on end as it passed and this time Voldemort was forced to conjure a shining silver shield out of thin air to deflect it. The spell, whatever it was, caused no visible damage to the shield, though a deep, gong-like note reverberated from it - an oddly chilling sound.

"You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?" called Voldemort, his scarlet eyes narrowed over the top of the shield. "Above such brutality, are you?"

"We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk towards Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world, as though nothing had happened to interrupt his stroll up the hall. _Damn_, Dumbledore was bloody awesome. "Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit."

"There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" snarled Voldemort.

Elizabeth frowned. She didn't quite agree with that statement. Being under the Crucio was probably worse than death. Seeing her whole family and her friends getting killed would be worse than death. Being unable to sleep would probably be worse than death as well.

"You are quite wrong," said Dumbledore, still closing in upon Voldemort and speaking as lightly as though they were discussing the matter over drinks. Elizabeth noticed the guard kept shunting Harry backwards towards the wall, blocking his every attempt to get out from behind it. Elizabeth, on the other hand, went with the flow. She knew Dumbledore was awesome, so she wasn't all _that _worried.

"Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worse than death has always been your greatest weakness."

Another jet of green light flew from behind the silver shield. This time it was the one-armed centaur, galloping in front of Dumbledore, that took the blast and shattered into a hundred pieces, but before the fragments had even hit the floor, Dumbledore had drawn back his wand and waved it as though brandishing a whip. A long thin flame flew from the tip; it wrapped itself around Voldemort, shield and all. For a moment, it seemed Dumbledore had won, but then the fiery rope became a serpent, which relinquished its hold on Voldemort at once and turned, hissing furiously, to face Dumbledore.

Voldemort vanished; the snake reared from the floor, ready to strike.

There was a burst of flame in midair above Dumbledore just as Voldemort reappeared, standing on the plinth in the middle of the pool where so recently the five statues had stood.

"Look out!" Harry yelled.

But even as he shouted, another jet of green light flew at Dumbledore from Voldemort's wand and the snake had struck.

A phoenix, must be Dumbledore's, swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide and swallowed the jet of green light whole: he burst into flame and fell to the floor, small, wrinkled and flightless.

At the same moment, Dumbledore brandished his wand in one long, fluid movement - the snake, which had been an instant from sinking its fangs into him, flew high into the air and vanished in a wisp of dark smoke; and the water in the pool rose up and covered Voldemort like a cocoon of molten glass.

For a few seconds Voldemort was visible only as a dark, rippling, faceless figure, shimmering and indistinct upon the plinth, clearly struggling to throw off the suffocating mass.

Then he was gone and the water fell with a crash back into its pool, slopping wildly over the sides, drenching the polished floor. Elizabeth gave a mental cheer. Way to kick arse, Dumbledore!

"MASTER!" screamed Bellatrix Lestrange.

Elizabeth noticed that Harry made to run out from behind his statue guard, but as she grabbed Harry's cloak to stop him, Dumbledore bellowed: "Stay where you are, Harry!"

For the first time, Dumbledore sounded frightened.

Elizabeth nearly pouted. What about her? Then again, she wasn't about to run out of the protection…

Elizabeth saw that the hall was empty, aside from the sobbing Bellatrix Lestrange still trapped under the witch statue and the baby phoenix croaking feebly on the floor. Then, she saw Harry seizing on the floor, his eyes red. Elizabeth nearly grabbed him, but stopped when she heard the voice from Harry's mouth, but it wasn't Harry's voice.

"Kill me now, Dumbledore…" Holy hell, it was Voldemort's voice. Voldemort was possessing Harry! "If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy…"

Dumbledore stared, wide eyed, at Harry's body. Elizabeth, throwing caution to the wind, pinned Harry's flailing limbs. "Harry, you bloody bastard, listen to me. You fight Voldemort, you send him out of your body right now! Don't you dare give in, don't you dare give up! I will never speak to you again if you don't!"

Harry's eyes flickered from red to green. Elizabeth slowly got off of Harry, who was shivering on the floor.

"Harry, Harry?"

Elizabeth startled. She hadn't even notice Dumbledore coming right next to her.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Harry replied. He seemed to be shaking violently, even worse than Elizabeth after the two Crucios. "Yeah, I'm - where's Voldemort, where - who are all these - what's –"

Elizabeth startled again when she realized that the Atrium was full of people, including a stunned-looking Cornelius Fudge. Elizabeth gave another mental cheer.

"Elizabeth!" a voice shouted. Her father, from the crowd of the Ministry people, raced up to her. He grasped her in an embrace. "Are you alright? What are you doing here? Did you just—?"

"He was there!" shouted a scarlet-robed man with a ponytail, who was pointing at a pile of golden rubble on the other side of the hall, where Bellatrix Lestrange had lain trapped only moments before. Elizabeth hadn't even noticed her escaping. "I saw him, Mr. Fudge, I swear it was You-Know-Who, he grabbed a woman and Disapparated!"

"I know, Williamson, I know, I saw him too!" gibbered Fudge, who was wearing pyjamas under his pinstriped cloak and was gasping as though he had just run miles. "Merlin's beard -here- here! - in the Ministry of Magic! - great heavens above - it doesn't seem possible - my word - how can this be -?"

"I'm alright, dad," said Elizabeth. She broke out of the embrace. "Voldemort didn't lay a curse on me." Bellatrix Lestrange, on the other hand… "He was more focused on Harry."

"Are you sure?" Father asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, dad. I would like to see the Dumbledore smack down, now."

"If you proceed downstairs into the Department of Mysteries, Cornelius," said Dumbledore - apparently satisfied that Harry was all right, and walking forwards so that the newcomers realized he was there for the first time (a few of them raised their wands; others simply looked amazed; the statues of the elf and goblin applauded and Fudge jumped so much that his slipperclad feet left the floor) - "you will find several escaped Death Eaters contained in the Death Chamber, bound by an Anti-Disapparation Jinx and awaiting your decision as to what to do with them."

"Dumbledore!" gasped Fudge, beside himself with amazement. "You-here-I-I"

He looked wildly around at the Aurors he had brought with him and it could not have been clearer that he was in half a mind to cry, "Seize him!"

Elizabeth nearly laughed. Seriously? Fudge was really stupid.

"Cornelius, I am ready to fight your men - and win, again!" said Dumbledore in a thunderous voice. Again? So the rumours were true… "But a few minutes ago you saw proof, with your own eyes, that I have been telling you the truth for a year. Lord Voldemort has returned, you have been chasing the wrong man for twelve months, and it is time - you listened to sense!"

"I - don't – well" blustered Fudge, looking around as though hoping somebody was going to tell him what to do. When nobody did, he said, "Very well - Dawlish! Williamson! Go down to the Department of Mysteries and see… Dumbledore, you - you will need to tell me exactly - the Fountain of Magical Brethren - what happened?" he added in a kind of whimper, staring around at the floor, where the remains of the statues of the witch, wizard and centaur now lay scattered.

"We can discuss that after I have sent Harry and Elizabeth back to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore.

Well, at least she wasn't forgotten this time.

"Harry - Harry Potter?"

But now she was. Then again, Fudge was incompetent. He probably still couldn't get past the fact that Voldemort was still around.

Fudge had wheeled around and stared at Harry, who was still standing against the wall beside the fallen statue that had guarded both Elizabeth and Harry during Dumbledore and Voldemort's duel.

"He - here?" said Fudge, goggling at Harry. "Why - what's all this about?"

"I shall explain everything," repeated Dumbledore, "when Harry is back at school."

And then she was forgotten again. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and hugged her dad one final time. "Sorry, got to get to school. Love you."

"Love you too," her dad said in reply.

Elizabeth walked next to Harry, hovering worryingly, ignoring his annoyed look.

Dumbledore walked away from the pool to the place where the golden wizard's head lay on the floor. He pointed his wand at it and muttered, "Portus." The head glowed blue and trembled noisily against the wooden floor for a few seconds, then became still once more.

"Now see here, Dumbledore!" said Fudge, as Dumbledore picked up the head and walked back to Harry and Elizabeth carrying it. "You haven't got authorization for that Portkey! You can't do things like that right in front of the Minister for Magic, you – you -"

"Non-incompetent fool?" supplied Elizabeth helpfully.

Fudge stuttered more until his voice was quelled by Dumbledore surveying him magisterially over his half-moon spectacles.

"You will give the order to remove Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. Elizabeth inwardly cheered. Yes! No more Umbitch! "You will tell your Aurors to stop searching for my Care of Magical Creatures teacher so that he can return to work. I will give you…" Dumbledore pulled a watch with twelve hands from his pocket and surveyed it… "half an hour of my time tonight, in which I think we shall be more than able to cover the important points of what has happened here. After that, I shall need to return to my school. If you need more help from me you are, of course, more than welcome to contact me at Hogwarts. Letters addressed to the Headmaster will find me."

Brilliant, Dumbledore was. Brilliant.

Fudge goggled worse than ever; his mouth was open and his round face grew pinker under his rumpled grey hair.

"I – you – "

Wow, Fudge really needed to learn how to talk.

Dumbledore turned his back on him.

"Take this Portkey, Harry and Elizabeth."

He held out the golden head of the statue and both Harry and Elizabeth placed their hands on it.

"I shall see you in half an hour," said Dumbledore quietly "One… two… three…"

Elizabeth felt the familiar sensation of a hook being jerked behind her navel. The polished wooden floor was gone from beneath her feet; the Atrium, Fudge and Dumbledore had all disappeared and she was flying forwards in a whirlwind of colour and sound…

-x-

Elizabeth's feet hit solid ground and she managed to steady Harry, whose knees had buckled.

"Thanks," Harry said quietly.

The golden wizard's head had fallen to the floor with a loud 'dunk'.

"No problem," replied Elizabeth. She hesitated. "Look, what happened to Professor Moody isn't your fault. First of all, Bellatrix Lestrange cast the spell silently, which means that, like Granger, he could still be alive." Although Bellatrix Lestrange was certainly deadly enough silently or loudly, she added to herself mentally. "Please, don't think this is your fault. You checked whether or not Sirius Black was there. As far as we are aware of, no one died. Harry, do not blame yourself for any of this. I…" Elizabeth took a deep breath. "I know how you feel."

"Oh, you do, eh?" Harry snapped. "HOW COULD YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE PEOPLE DIE FOR YOU? DIE BECAUSE THEY'RE INNOCENT OR BECAUSE THEY PROTECTED YOU? YOU WERE LOVED BY YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS LIKE—"

"Oh, you would think," Elizabeth cut through Harry's ranting. "When I was nine, I was nearly run over by a car. I was walking with my best friend. She noticed the car. I didn't. She pushed me out of the way and got hit by the car and _died_ because she decided to protect me rather than herself. I was nine years old and I had to watch my best friend die right in front of my eyes. And guess what? The driver didn't even stop! He just went on his merry way, not even noticing that he just killed a girl and nearly killed two of them! No, he just continued his way to work or whatever he was driving to, unaware that he had just changed people's lives forever! So, yeah, I know what you're going through! My friend and I were like you and Granger and Weasley. We were inseparable. Wherever one went, the other was there! And I blamed myself for the longest time. I thought it was my fault, that it was all my fault! We moved from France to Britain because I couldn't even live in the country anymore because everywhere I went, she went. And just this summer, _just this summer_, I was separated from my wand. I was at my house, I thought I was safe, but then some fucking serial killers decide to break into my house and kill me and my mother. My mother was killed protecting me. I managed to live by having a strong accidental magic attack. I couldn't even do anything before my mother was killed! It didn't matter if I knew more curses than more people do; it didn't matter if I was a black belt at Tae Kwon Do; I couldn't do anything and…and…and…"

Elizabeth pressed her hands to her eyes and tried to push back the tears, hiding away Harry's horrified look. Merlin, she hadn't meant to talk about her mother's death. Her mother's death was still too new, too raw. She bowed her head and took in deep breaths and managed to push the tears away. Elizabeth glanced up at Harry's shocked face.

"I know exactly how you feel," Elizabeth stated. "So don't you dare fucking tell me otherwise."

"Oh, Elizabeth, I'm sorry," Harry whispered. "I didn't mean to—I never wanted—you didn't have to tell me if you didn't want to…"

Elizabeth sighed. "No, I hadn't told anyone. No one knows, not even my father. I needed to get it off my chest. Sorry that it had to be you."

"Don't be," Harry said firmly. "If you need someone to talk to, you can always come to me."

"The same to you, Harry," she said, smiling. "If there's something you can't tell Granger or Weasley of if you just want to rant and rave and talk, I'll be there."

"Okay," Harry agreed.

The both of them smiled at each other.

Suddenly, the empty fireplace burst into emerald green flames, startling the both of them. As Dumbledore's tall form unfolded itself from the fire, the wizards and witches on the surrounding walls jerked awake, many of them giving cries of welcome.

"Thank you," said Dumbledore softly.

He did not look at the two of them at first, but walked over to the perch beside the door and withdrew, from an inside pocket of his robes, the tiny, ugly, featherless baby phoenix, whom he placed gently on the tray of soft ashes beneath the golden post where Elizabeth assumed where the adult phoenix stayed.

"Well, Harry, Elizabeth," said Dumbledore, finally turning away from the baby bird, "you will be pleased to hear that none of your fellow students are going to suffer lasting damage from the night's events."

Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief. Harry, however, didn't relax. "What about—?"

"Madam Pomfrey is patching everybody up," said Dumbledore. "Nymphadora Tonks and Alastor may need to spend a little time in St. Mungo's, but it seems they will make a full recovery."

Together, the two of them breathed another (for Elizabeth) sigh of relief.

The fireplace came to life again as green flames rose. Sirius Black stepped out of the fireplace and immediately embraced Harry. Harry hugged Sirius Black back.

"Harry, you are in so much trouble," Sirius stated.

Harry laughed.

They finally let go from their embrace as Sirius Black turned to Elizabeth.

"You were the one who saved me earlier from my dear cousin's curse," said Sirius Black

"I was," Elizabeth agreed.

"Thanks," Sirius Black said, before blinking. "Hey, wait a minute, you're a Slytherin!"

"And your hair is filthy," replied Elizabeth.

Sirius Black looked confused, as did Harry. "What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought we were naming things that were obvious, my mistake," stated Elizabeth.

Sirius Black growled, but it didn't seem to have any bite. "Why you…"

Harry laughed.

Dumbledore interrupted their merry fun. "I'm sorry, Sirius, Elizabeth, but I must ask you to leave. I need to speak to Harry alone."

Sirius Black put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Whatever you can say to Harry, you can say in front of me. I am his godfather, you know."

"I'll leave if Harry wants me to, Headmaster," said Elizabeth simply.

"I really must insist," Dumbledore said, frowning.

"It's okay, Elizabeth," said Harry. "Plus, I think you need to go to the Hospital Wing. Your hand and leg keeps on twitching from the Cruciatus Curses that Bellatrix Lestrange put on you."

Damn. She thought she controlled those twitches.

"Cruciatus Curse_s_ as in more than one?" Dumbledore asked.

Elizabeth turned to Dumbledore. "The second one only put me under in a few seconds due to the fact that the Order Members burst into the room in a perfect 'Big Damn Heroes' moment, er, sorry Professor."

"I do find that students will sometimes slip up and curse in front of me," said Dumbledore. "It is due to the fact that they are casual around me and I welcome it."

Elizabeth grinned sheepishly. "Thanks, Professor. Good night, Professor, Sirius Black. Harry, I better see you in the Hospital Wing."

Harry groaned.

Sirius grinned. "Yeah, he'll be there. Night."

"Good evening, Elizabeth," said Dumbledore.

Elizabeth left Dumbledore's office.

**A/N: So, no one dies. Yay! By the way, guys, although this is AU, it is completely cannon pairings, so don't be like, "OH EM GEE, ELIZABETH AND HARRY WOULD LOOK SO GOOD TOGETHER!" or "HOW DARE YOU TRY TO SET UP AN OC WITH HARRY?" Perhaps Elizabeth will grow to have a crush on Harry or they may date ****_once_**** (haven't decided), but it IS cannon pairings. I hate it when people create an OC and then make them a love interest for someone. X_x; **


	6. Aftermath to the Ministry: Fouth Year

_Aftermath to the Ministry: Fourth Year_

**_HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED RETURNS_**

"**_In a brief statement on Friday night, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned to this country and is active once more._**

"'**_It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord - well, you know who I mean - is alive and among us again,' said Fudge, looking tired and flustered as he addressed reporters. 'It is with almost equal regret that we report the mass revolt of the Dementors of Azkaban, who have shown themselves averse to continuing in the Ministry's employ. We believe the Dementors are currently taking direction from Lord - Thingy._**

Thingy? Thingy? Elizabeth nearly laughed.

"'**_We urge the magical population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal Defence which will be delivered free to all wizarding homes within the coming month.'_**

**_The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the wizarding community, which as recently as last Wednesday was receiving Ministry assurances that there was 'no truth whatsoever in these persistent rumours that You-Know-Who is operating amongst us once more'._**

"**_Details of the events that led to the Ministry turnaround are still hazy, though it is believed that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and a select band of followers (known as Death Eaters) gained entry to the Ministry of Magic itself on Thursday evening._**

"**_Albus Dumbledore, newly reinstated Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, reinstated member of the International Confederation of Wizards and reinstated Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, has so far been unavailable for comment. He has insisted over the past year that You-Know-Who is not dead, as was widely hoped and believed, but is recruiting followers once more for afresh attempt to seize power. Meanwhile, the 'Boy Who Lived' –"_**

"Ah, our famous hero," Elizabeth teased.

"I knew they'd drag you into it somehow," said Granger.

The whole group who had gone to the Ministry was currently hanging out in the Hospital Wing. Harry was sitting on Weasley's old bed along with Ron. Ginny, whose ankle had to be rebroken in order to set correctly, was curled up on the edge of Granger's bed. Longbottom was in a chair between the two beds. Luna, who had come down to visit, sat on Elizabeth's bed, reading the Quibbler. Although Elizabeth could have escaped earlier, she hadn't wanted to go back to her house's 'loving care'.

"He's the 'boy who lived' again now, though, isn't he?" said Weasley darkly. "Not such a deluded show-off any more, eh?"

Elizabeth mock gasped. "You mean he wasn't? Alas, my truth has been broken! I always held on to the fact that Harry was a deluded show-off in order to sleep at night! How will I ever sleep again?"

Harry sent a light stinging hex at Elizabeth. "You are so overdramatic."

"It's a perquisite in order to be in the Slytherin house," Elizabeth said, nodding sagely.

Weasley grabbed some Chocolate Frogs off the pile near where Longbottom was sitting. They had decided to compile all of their chocolates and candy into one massive pile, although Elizabeth wasn't able to contribute at all. No one in the Slytherin house would give her any, with good reason, and no one else in Hogwarts was convinced that she was at the Ministry battle because she was a Slytherin. Weasley chucked some of the Chocolate Frogs at everyone.

"Yes, they're very complimentary about you now, Harry," said Granger, scanning down the article. "'A lone voice of truth… perceived as unbalanced, yet never wavered in his story… forced to bear ridicule and slander… 'Hmmm," she said, frowning, "I notice they don't mention the fact that it was them doing all the ridiculing and slandering in the Prophet…"

Elizabeth scoffed. "Why would they? It would only make themselves more incompetent than they are."

Granger winced slightly and put a hand to her ribs. The curse Dolohov had used on her, though less effective than it would have been had he been able to say the incantation aloud, had nevertheless caused, in Madam Pomfrey's words, 'quite enough damage to be going on with'. Elizabeth was glad that she was right in her estimate. Granger had to take ten different types of potion every day, was improving greatly, and was already bored with the hospital wing.

"You-Know-Who's Last Attempt to Take Over, pages two to four, What the Ministry Should Have Told Us, page five, Why Nobody Listened to Albus Dumbledore, pages six to eight, Exclusive Interview with Harry Potter, page nine… Well," said Granger, folding up the newspaper and throwing it aside, "it's certainly given them lots to write about. And that interview with Harry isn't exclusive, it's the one that was in The Quibbler months ago…"

"Not sure if I said this before, but brilliant article," stated Elizabeth. "Seriously, the other Slytherins' faces? Priceless!"

"Glad I could give you some amusement," joked Harry.

"Daddy sold it to them," said Luna vaguely, turning a page of The Quibbler. "He got a very good price for it, too, so we're going to go on an expedition to Sweden this summer to see if we can catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

Elizabeth smiled. "May all your hopes and dreams be accomplished…"

"…And may you find what you are looking for," finished Luna. The two girls smiled at each other.

Ginny laughed. "I'm still upset that you have a secret ritual thing without me," stated Ginny mock angrily. "Where's my secret ritual thing?"

Elizabeth and Luna glanced at each other and then glanced at Ginny.

"You aren't cool enough," they chorused.

Everyone in the Hospital Wing laughed as Ginny pouted.

"So, anyway," said Granger, sitting up a little straighter and wincing again, "what's going on in school?"

"Well, Flitwick's got rid of Fred and George's swamp," said Ginny, "he did it in about three seconds. But he left a tiny patch under the window and he's roped it off"

"Why?" said Granger, looking startled.

"Oh, he just says it was a really good bit of magic," said Ginny, shrugging.

"I think he left it as a monument to Fred and George," said Weasley, through a mouthful of chocolate.

Granger looked rather disapproving and asked, "So has all the trouble stopped now Dumbledore's back?"

"Yes," said Longbottom, "everything's settled right back to normal."

"I s'pose Filch is happy, is he?" asked Weasley, propping a Chocolate Frog Card featuring Dumbledore against his water jug.

"Not at all," said Ginny "He's really, really miserable, actually…" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "He keeps saying Umbridge was the best thing that ever happened to Hogwarts…"

All seven of them looked around. Umbitch was lying in a bed opposite them, gazing up at the ceiling. Dumbledore had strode alone into the Forest to rescue her from the centaurs; how he had done it - how he had emerged from the trees supporting Umbitch without so much as a scratch on him - nobody knew, and Umbitch was certainly not telling.

Elizabeth nearly cackled in delight. Damn, Granger was really good at deceiving people when she needed too.

Since she had returned to the castle she had not, as far as any of them knew, uttered a single word. Nobody really knew what was wrong with her, either. Her usually neat mousy hair was very untidy and there were still bits of twigs and leaves in it, but otherwise she seemed to be quite unscathed, to Elizabeth's immense disappointment.

"Madam Pomfrey says she's just in shock," whispered Granger.

"Sulking, more like," said Ginny

"Yeah, she shows signs of life if you do this," said Elizabeth, and with her tongue she made soft clipclopping noises. Umbitch sat bolt upright, looking around wildly.

"Anything wrong, Professor?" called Madam Pomfrey, poking her head around her office door.

"No… no…" said Umbridge, sinking back into her pillows."No, I must have been dreaming…"

Elizabeth grinned. She did it at least once a day.

Granger and Ginny muffled their laughter in the bedclothes.

"Speaking of centaurs," said Granger, when she had recovered a little, "who's Divination teacher now? Is Firenze staying?"

"He's got to," said Harry, "the other centaurs won't take him back, will they?"

"It looks like he and Trelawney are both going to teach," said Ginny.

Elizabeth sighed. "Which _really_ sucks."

"Bet Dumbledore wishes he could've got rid of Trelawney for good," said Weasley, now munching on his fourteenth Frog. "Mind you, the whole subject's useless if you ask me, Firenze isn't a lot better…"

"How can you say that?" Granger demanded. "After we've just found out that there are real prophecies?"

"Granger, there _is_ a bit of a difference between the subject and actual prophecies," stated Elizabeth. "The subject tries to teach children how to see, when most (if not all) do not have the Sight. Prophecies are made by true seers. I'm sure that Trelawney has made at least one prophecy in her life; she does have the best seer's blood running through her veins."

Did Elizabeth just see Harry turn pale? It seemed that she was the only one who noticed.

"It is a pity it broke," said Granger quietly, shaking her head.

"Yeah, it is," said Weasley. "Still, at least You-Know-Who never found out what was in it either - where are you going?" he added, looking both surprised and disappointed as Harry stood up.

"Er - Hagrid's," said Harry. "You know, he just got back and I promised I'd go down and see him and tell him how you two are."

Elizabeth stood up. "I'll come along as well."

Harry looked shocked. "No, what, that's fine!"

"No, really, I insist," said Elizabeth firmly.

"Oh, all right then," said Weasley. Weasley didn't offer to come; probably wanted to stay with Granger.

"Say hello to him for us!" called Granger, as Harry and Elizabeth proceeded down the ward. "And ask him what's happening about… about his little friend!"

As soon as they were far enough away from the Hospital Wing, Elizabeth spoke.

"There's something you're not telling us," she stated simply.

Harry startled. "What do you mean?"

"You turned pale when you heard the word 'prophecy'," said Elizabeth. "Plus, you also turned paler when I talked about Trelawney making at least one prophecy…Wait a minute, the prophecy said 'Voldemort and Harry Potter, S.W.T to A.P.W.B.D.'"

Elizabeth noticed Harry turning even paler.

Elizabeth sighed. "Look, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I know you heard the prophecy; Professor Dumbledore must have told you, which is why you've been acting all distant lately. I'm not going to tell you the rest of my suspicions because if you don't want to say anything, then don't. I'm not going to push you."

Harry let out a breath. "No, I need to tell _someone_. Sirius…I love him, but he wouldn't get it. Plus, you told me about what happened to you, I should at least return the favour."

"I didn't tell you it so you would 'return the favour'," said Elizabeth firmly. "Do you really trust me enough?"

"Yes," said Harry simply. "The prophecy said 'The one with the power to vanquish the - Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…' Why are you staring at me like that?"

"You actually memorized the whole prophecy?" asked Elizabeth in mock-awe. "I thought you had a lower attention span than that!"

"This isn't a joke," Harry said angrily.

Elizabeth held up her hands. "Sorry," she said. "Do you know what this power is?"

"Dumbledore says that it is 'love'," said Harry simply.

Elizabeth nodded. "Love is an extremely powerful magic, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't study up more hexes and curses."

"By the way, I never thank you for what you did at the Ministry," said Harry.

Elizabeth blinked. "Huh?"

"When Voldemort possessed me, you yelled at me," stated Harry. "It gave me the strength to break out of Voldemort's hold. Thanks."

"No problem," said Elizabeth.

"What are you going to do this summer, anyways?" asked Harry. "I mean…"

"Yes, I generally spent summers with my mother," said Elizabeth. "I still haven't told my father, I just can't."

"You're going to have to tell someone," said Harry. "I would invite you over to stay, but I think it would be torture. My aunt and uncle don't really like magic."

"I have grown up in the muggle world," said Elizabeth. "I know how to act like one."

"Still, I would have to tell them something," stated Harry.

"No, it's alright," said Elizabeth. "I'll figure something out."

"Elizabeth?"

The two students turned around to see Dumbledore standing behind them. He looked rather sad, but gentle.

"I must speak to you for a moment," Dumbledore said.

Elizabeth glanced at Harry. Had he heard…?

"See ya later, Elizabeth," said Harry. Elizabeth sighed and walked after Dumbledore. Soon, they were inside Dumbledore's office. Elizabeth was sitting down across from Dumbledore.

"I must speak to you about your house," said Dumbledore. "Undoubtedly, all of Slytherin would have to unite against you due to the fact that you had helped Harry defeat Voldemort once again. You may face night attacks, kidnappings, or even ambushes in order to kill you. We've never had a person to switch houses before, but we may have to in your case."

Elizabeth sighed. She had been worried about the same thing, which was why she had stayed in the Hospital Wing for so long. But…

"I'm proud to be a Slytherin, Professor," Elizabeth stated. "But whether or not that pride means my death…I just hate it. I hate it that Slytherin has to be equal to Death Eaters or evil wizards now. Not all Slytherins are evil, not all Slytherins are against muggleborns. Greengrass isn't but she's still from an old Pureblood family and acts like she's against muggleborns in public. I just hate it how everywhere we turn, there is bias against us because of Voldemort or other dark lords that come from our house. I'm just so sick and tired by being looked at with fear because everyone is thinking, 'she's in Slytherin! She's going to turn bad!' Why are we so evil? Because we have ambition? Everyone has ambitions, goals for the future! Because we have cunning? What, so we can talk circles around you, we're evil? It's stupid! I can't even act like how I usually am because other students are like, 'Oh no, she's trying to act nice but she's obviously lying because she's a Slytherin!' Even those in the D.A. feel that I'm just a wolf in sheep's clothing! The only ones who treat me like I actually am good are Ginny, Luna, and Harry! I've seen Granger and Weasley stare at me in suspicion before, even after the whole Ministry battle thing! I just hate it!"

Elizabeth, realizing that she had gone into a rant, blushed and looked down. "Sorry, Professor."

"No, don't apologize," said Dumbledore. "I agree with you. Slytherins do not equal evil, but most people seem to share that view. My question is, would you like to be resorted?"

"Not resorted," said Elizabeth, "but placed into another house for my protection. I am proud to be a Slytherin, I'm not going to change, but I will move to another house for my safety."

Dumbledore nodded. With a twirl of his wand, the Sorting Hat landed on the desk.

"Hello, Dumbledore," said the Hat happily. "What do you need?"

As if the Hat hadn't already listened in.

"I know you have already sorted Ms. Elizabeth before," said Dumbledore, "she may not want to be resorted, but I still have to figure out her secondary house so I can put her in that one. It probably has changed since first year, so may you look into Elizabeth's mind again?"

What, he couldn't just ask Elizabeth? If anything, Elizabeth wanted to be put in Ravenclaw so she could stop the bullying that Luna was going through. Then again, she was probably going to be put in Ravenclaw anyways.

The Hat sighed. "Fine. Put me on, missy."

Elizabeth put the Hat on.

"Hmm…yes…Slytherin is still your main house…Ravenclaw used to be your secondary house, but I sense that it has now changed…Your bravery has overshot your intelligence by far…Not to say that you're not intelligent…Guess it would have to be GRYFFINDOR!"

With a shocked look, Elizabeth set the Hat down. Dumbledore nodded to himself.

"As I thought," he said. "Your secondary house before was Ravenclaw, correct?" He didn't even wait for an answer. "But then you decided to help everyone at the Ministry, with a great risk to yourself. Your Gryffindor aspects overshot your Ravenclaw aspects and now your secondary house is Gryffindor. Well, at least, I hope, for you, it isn't your primary house."

"No, the Hat stated that Slytherin was still where I belong," said Elizabeth. "Is that all, Professor?"

"No, there is something else," said Dumbledore. "My portraits have told me about something peculiar."

Damn, she had forgotten about the portraits when she had told Harry. Damndamndamndamn…

"How come you never told anyone about your mother's death?" asked Dumbledore.

Elizabeth scowled. "Why don't you ask your portraits?"

"Well I never!" "How rude!" "What an ungrateful girl!" The portraits all spoke up at once. Dumbledore held up a hand and all of them became silent.

"Do you not think Mr. Burke deserves to know?" asked Dumbledore.

Elizabeth looked down. "I do, but…"

"What were you planning to do this summer?" asked Dumbledore. "Live at your house by yourself? Go live on the streets? I know that you live with your mother during the summer."

"I…I don't know, sir."

Dumbledore's expression softened. "Would you like me to tell Mr. Burke?"

"No, sir," said Elizabeth. "I…I think it would be better if it came from me."

"Would you like me to ask your father to come in?" asked Dumbledore gently.

Elizabeth let out a huge breath. "That would be nice."

As Dumbledore headed towards the Floo, Elizabeth thought about what she was going to say. She may love her father, but for some reason, she didn't want to live with him in the summer. Her mother loved her father once, and her father had treated Elizabeth well, but her mother had told her about the things that her father did to her. With the things that her mother told her…Elizabeth hoped that her father had stopped drinking.

"Elizabeth?" questioned her father. Elizabeth startled. She hadn't even notice that her father arrived and Dumbledore was gone. "Dumbledore said that there was something you need to tell me…"

"Mum was murdered this summer," said Elizabeth in a rush and then winced. What a terrible way to tell someone.

Her father turned pale and wide-eyed. "WHAT? By who? Voldemort?"

"Muggles," Elizabeth said. "I was separated from my wand. Men came into the house; serial killers. They tied me up and, uh, well, Mum came home from work and saw them and well, tried to stop them and then they stabbed her a lot and then she was bleeding and then I had a burst of accidental magic and ended up untying myself and the magic knocked them all out, and then mum said her last words and she died."

"What did they do to you?" asked her father. "They didn't…you aren't…"

"They didn't rape me if that is what you're trying to ask," said Elizabeth. "No, they just beat me up a bit. It's fine—I'm fine. I just…mum…"

Her father enveloped Elizabeth in an embrace. Elizabeth took in a shaky breath.

-x-

Elizabeth was currently helping Luna put up her posters for those items that were 'lost'. She really hated Luna's housemates; just because she was 'different' they teased her, stole her stuff, and made Luna's life more difficult, even if Luna didn't let it show.

"Really, Luna, if it wasn't for you, I would hex all of your housemates," stated Elizabeth, charming up a poster.

"Elizabeth," said Luna, "it isn't nice to hex other people."

"It isn't nice to do what they do to you either," Elizabeth snarled. "Really, Luna, you're too kind."

"I think we've put up enough posters," said Luna. "Would you like to go to the feast in order to get some pudding?"

"Sure," Elizabeth said. "I'm sitting with you tonight, though. If anyone does anything against you at all…I'll show them just how many hexes I know."

-x-

On the train, Malfoy had cornered Elizabeth, all by himself.

"You little whore," Malfoy snarled. "You are a disgrace to the Slytherin name. I'm going to kill you for sending my father to Azkaban."

"Like auntie, like son," replied Elizabeth.

Malfoy growled, holding up his wand to Elizabeth's throat. "Watch yourself, mudblood. I don't care if you're a Burke or a Black or your father works for the Ministry, once you are in our house, you're dead."

"What, too scared to do it now?" taunted Elizabeth. "Do you need your 'friends' to watch your back? Do you need it to be three against one in order for it to feel safe? Pathetic."

Malfoy pressed his wand closer to Elizabeth's throat. "Do you not realize what position you are in? I could kill you right now!"

"Can you?" asked Elizabeth. "I know you, Malfoy. You can't kill me, you can't kill anyone. You want to be a Death Eater to follow in your father's footsteps, but you don't have what it takes to be a Death Eater. You may think that muggleborns, mudbloods, deserve it, but then you'll realize that you'll have to torture human beings, you'll have to kill _people_. It's one thing to dislike people, it's another to actually try to torture and kill them. You'll hear their screams in your nightmares, you will see their faces in your dreams, and you will live with the guilt for all of your life. Do you really think that you can do that?"

"I…I…" Malfoy stuttered.

"Elizabeth! Stupefy!"

Malfoy slumped down, falling to the side. He landed with a thump on the floor. Elizabeth glanced at the person who cursed Malfoy. It was Harry, followed by Granger and Weasley.

"Are you alright?" asked Harry, the one who had stunned Malfoy. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"I'm fine," said Elizabeth, rolling her eyes. "Just giving a 'reason you suck speech'."

"I'm sorry?" questioned Granger, confused.

Elizabeth laughed. "Never mind."

Weasley shook his head. "You're barmy."

"Not as much as you," Elizabeth retorted. Harry and Granger laughed.

They left Malfoy's body in the hallway as they walked off to their compartment. Luna, Ginny, and Longbottom were already inside.

"Oh, hey, you found Elizabeth!" exclaimed Ginny when the four of them walked in.

"Malfoy was bothering her," said Harry, sitting down opposite of Ginny.

"What?" yelled Ginny. "Where is that insufferable—"

"I'm fine, Ginny," said Elizabeth tiredly.

"You seem to have an infestation of nargles, though," said Luna.

Elizabeth blinked. "Ah, damn, where's that charm you gave me?" Elizabeth felt through her pockets, finally pulling out a necklace. "There it is!" Elizabeth put it on.

Luna smiled. "The nargles are flying away from you now."

"I would hope so," said Elizabeth, "otherwise that means that the charm has lost its power."

Elizabeth sat near the window, opposite of Luna. Weasley and Granger sat on the other side of Potter, so it was Weasley that sat near him. Soon, most of the journey had passed. Luna was reading The Quibbler, Ginny was doing a quiz in The Quibbler, and Longbottom was stroking his Mimbulus mimbletonia, which had grown a great deal over the year and now made odd crooning noises when touched. Elizabeth was daydreaming, staring at the scenery; Weasley and Harry had spent the journey playing Wizard's Chess; Granger was reading the Daily Prophet.

"It hasn't really started yet," said Granger with a gloomy sigh, folding up the newspaper. "But it won't be long now…"

"Harry, look," Weasley said stiffly.

There was a lull in the conversation before Weasley asked quietly:

"What's - er - going on with you and her, anyway?"

"Nothing," said Harry.

"I - er - heard she's going out with someone else now," said Granger tentatively.

"You're well out of it, mate," said Weasley forcefully. "I mean, she's quite good-looking and all that, but you want someone a bit more cheerful."

"She's probably cheerful enough with someone else," said Harry, shrugging.

"Who's she with now, anyway?" Weasley asked Granger, but it was Ginny who answered.

"Michael Corner," she said.

Ah, yes, Michael Corner. The loser whose feelings were hurt when Ravenclaw lost at Quidditch. Elizabeth didn't know who Ginny thought she was fooling; Elizabeth could see that she still loved Harry. Still, there _is _the jealousy factor after all…

"Michael - but –" said Weasley, craning around in his seat to stare at her. "But you were going out with him!"

"Not anymore," said Ginny resolutely. "He didn't like Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw at Quidditch, and got really sulky, so I ditched him and he ran off to comfort Cho instead." She scratched her nose absently with the end of her quill, turned The Quibbler upside-down and began marking her answers. Weasley looked highly delighted.

"Well, I always thought he was a bit of an idiot," he said, prodding his queen forwards towards Harry's quivering castle. "Good for you. Just choose someone - better - next time."

He cast Harry an oddly furtive look as he said it.

"Well, I've chosen Dean Thomas, would you say he's better?" asked Ginny vaguely.

Ginny really does love to torture her brother. In fact, in three…two…one…

"WHAT?" shouted Weasley, right on cue, upending the chessboard: Crookshanks went plunging after the pieces and Crépusculaire, Elizabeth's black owl, Hedwig, and Pigwidgeon twittered and hooted angrily from overhead.

As the train slowed down, Elizabeth thought about how everything was going to change. The Ministry had finally figured out that Dumbledore and Harry were right and that Voldemort was back; her mother had died so Elizabeth wouldn't be able to go back home; and how next year, she would have to sleep with the Gryffindors. Elizabeth nearly sighed. There were rumours about how Gryffindors loved to party. She would never be able to sleep again…

Everyone walked through the gate at Platform 9¾. It was there where they saw an odd group waiting for Harry, Granger, and the Weasleys. There was Mad-Eye Moody, looking quite as sinister with his bowler hat pulled low over his magical eye as he would have done without it, his gnarled hands clutching a long staff, his body wrapped in a voluminous travelling cloak. A girl stood just behind him, her bright bubble-gumpink hair gleaming in the sunlight filtering through the dirty glass of the station ceiling, wearing heavily patched jeans and a bright purple T-shirt bearing the legend The Weird Sisters. Next to her was Lupin, his face pale, his hair greying, a long and threadbare overcoat covering a shabby jumper and trousers. At the front of the group stood Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, dressed in their Muggle best, and Fred and George, who were both wearing brand-new jackets in some lurid green, scaly material, as well as a huge, black dog. The dog immediately jumped on Harry and barked.

"Ron, Ginny!" called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying forwards and hugging her children tightly "Oh, and Harry dear - how are you?"

"Fine," Harry said with a smile.

"What's with the dog?" questioned Elizabeth, kneeling down to see the dog closer. The dog turned to Elizabeth and barked, rubbing against her arm. She patted it awkwardly.

"That's the guy we tried to rescue," said Harry.

Elizabeth blinked. Sirius Black was an Animagus? Then again, she had heard Bellatrix Lestrange talk about it to Voldemort…

Moody snarled. "Quiet, Potter. There are people around who are unsafe. You're too trusting, Potter."

"I really hope you're talking about the crowd and not me," said Elizabeth, glaring at Moody.

The girl grinned. "Oooh, you've got a spark. I like it!"

Weasley was goggling at the twins' new clothes.

"What are they supposed to be?" he asked, pointing at the jackets.

"Finest dragonskin, little bro'," said one of the twins, giving his zip a little tweak. "Business is booming and we thought we'd treat ourselves."

"Hello, Harry," said Lupin, as Mrs. Weasley let go of Harry and turned to greet Hermione.

"Hi," said Harry "I didn't expect… what are you all doing here?"

"Well," said Lupin with a slight smile, "we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home."

Sirius Black barked. Elizabeth frowned. Something seemed wrong about Harry's relatives…

Luna and Longbottom had already moved towards their families after greeting the Weasley family and the Order members. Elizabeth still stayed to pet Sirius Black, who was wagging his tail happily.

"I dunno if that's a good idea," said Harry at once.

"Oh, I think it is," growled Moody, who had limped a little closer. "That'll be them, will it, Potter?"

He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder; his magical eye was evidently peering through the back of his head and his bowler hat. Elizabeth glanced to where Moody was looking at and saw three, two extremely large and one extremely skinny, muggles staring at the posse in shock and disgust. Well, they seemed like arses.

"Ah, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, turning from Hermione's parents, who he had just greeted enthusiastically, and who were now taking it in turns to hug Hermione. "Well - shall we do it, then?"

"Yeah, I reckon so, Arthur," said Moody.

He and Mr. Weasley took the lead across the station towards Harry's relatives, who were apparently rooted to the floor.

Elizabeth sincerely hoped that they would give them a good scare. Sirius Black went out from Elizabeth's hand and ran up to Harry's relatives, snarling and barking at them. All three of them looked positively frightened. Elizabeth laughed inwardly. Wow, these muggles were _really _stupid.

"Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth turned around to see her father, standing awkwardly. The only time they had been seen in public was at the Ministry. Elizabeth had hoped to go through all seven years without anyone knowing who her father was just so she wouldn't get special privileges. In fact, it was only Dumbledore and Professor Snape who knew about both of her parents.

"'Lo, dad," said Elizabeth, hugging her father.

"Are you ready to go?" asked her father.

Elizabeth turned to Granger, Weasley, Harry, Ginny, and the other Order Members. "I'll see you all later. Either when the school term starts or if you guys decide to invite me to the Burrow or your secret HQ or something. Bye guys."

"Goodbye," said Granger.

"See ya," said Weasley.

Ginny hugged Elizabeth. "I'll try to get Mum to invite you."

"That would be brilliant," Elizabeth said.

Harry smiled at Elizabeth. "Have a great summer."

"You too, Harry. You deserve it," Elizabeth said.

With a last wave, Elizabeth went from King's Cross with her father, the first time ever. She hoped that her summer would be a good one.

**A/N: And there ends the only three drabbles that will go in order. xD Sorry if they were long and not funny; I watched OoTP recently and I just REALLY wanted to write about Elizabeth battling in the Ministry. :) I'm not quite sure what to write now...**


	7. The Yule Ball: Third Year

_Yule Ball: Third Year_ Elizabeth was quite pleasantly surprised when a fourth year Ravenclaw had asked her to the Yule Ball. She hadn't known him quite well, but they had talked a few times in the library. Plus, if she hadn't been invited to the Yule Ball by a fourth year or older, Elizabeth wouldn't have been able to go. Well, it wasn't as if she liked dressing up for parties, but she thought that it would be a nice thing to experience. After all, Yule Balls only happened when the Triwizard Tournament happened and it was doubtful that Dumbledore would arrange another one again. Especially since Potter managed to land himself in the tournament. Elizabeth had to give him some credit, though. Potter did fly well. In fact, his 'getting the golden egg' was probably better than everyone else's. Less mistakes, at least. Not that it stopped Malfoy from talking about how much Potter had sucked in the common room. Seriously, it was Slytherins like Malfoy that gave Slytherins such a bad name. Everyone else just went along with Malfoy was saying because his father was very rich and influential. Plus, his father had been one of Voldemort's top supporters. One doesn't get a higher status then that. Still, although she didn't like dressing up, Elizabeth still spent an hour getting ready for the Yule Ball. Elizabeth wondered if she should have worn a muggle dress instead; they were much better looking than dress robes, but Elizabeth decided that since it was a wizard party, that she should wear wizard clothes. So, she dressed up in a simple, yet elegant silver dress robes. The silver seemed to enhance the blue of Elizabeth's eyes, but still go well with her black hair. Well, at least Elizabeth thought so. She wasn't fashionable at all. Her mother was the one who knew which colours went best with what skin colour or something like that. Elizabeth was more of a, 'well, this looks nice, let's try this on!' kind of girl. Plus, silver was a nice colour, even if blue and black were her favourites. However, as a Slytherin, it would be upsetting if she didn't go in either green or silver. Since she didn't like green as much as silver, Elizabeth chose to wear silver. And, yes, there really was a code of dressing like a Slytherin at events. Some people didn't follow it, if their colours didn't go well with green and silver, but most Slytherins found themselves following the clothing rule. Elizabeth walked to the entrance hall to the Great Hall where the Yule Ball was to be taken place. She knew that Ginny was going, but she also knew that Luna hadn't been invited. Elizabeth had asked her date whether or not he knew anyone that would take Luna, but since he was in Ravenclaw and they all knew about Luna's 'antics', no one had wanted to take her. It was quite sad. Elizabeth told Luna, who had been there when Luna's fellow Ravenclaw student asked her to the ball, that she would turn down the student just for her, when Luna told her, lacking her dreamy tone, that 'it was alright and she should enjoy herself.' Since Luna said it was alright, Elizabeth accepted the invitation to the ball. Elizabeth really hoped that it wasn't a practical joke. However, it seemed that it wasn't a practical joke when she saw Terry Boot waiting for her. Terry was looking at Elizabeth when she was walking down the steps in shock. Huh, perhaps she did look alright. "Y-you look really nice," said Terry nervously. Elizabeth smiled. Terry was wearing jet black robes, which made him look quite nice. Although it was rather reminiscent to the school robes, it looked fairly different. "You look very nice yourself."

Terry held out an arm for Elizabeth to take. Elizabeth took the arm with a smile. They waited together until the ball was supposed to start. Elizabeth scanned the entrance hall to see anybody she knew. She nearly laughed when she saw Weasley. Elizabeth had heard about the lace when Malfoy was making fun about it in the common room, but it seemed that Weasley had tried to hex the lace off. It seemed that he had succeeded, but it left his robes looking very tattered. Potter, on the other hand, was wearing a green dress robe that looked exactly the same as the school uniform. It went well with his green eyes. She noticed that the two of them were taking the Patil twins, both of them looking nice as usual. She then noticed another group of Slytherins coming from their common rooms. Malfoy was wearing some sort of dress robes with black velvet. He looked rather ridiculous. Parkinson was in very frilly pink robes and clinging to Malfoy's arms. Elizabeth snorted. Parkinson looked as ugly as usual. Crabbe and Goyle were wearing moss green robes. At least _they _followed the Slytherin clothing rule. Seriously Malfoy and Parkinson, what were they _wearing_? Then, the oak front doors opened, and the Durmstrang students entered. Krum was at the front of the party with a rather pretty girl with blue robes. Elizabeth frowned. She looked rather familiar…

Then Professor McGonagall's voice called, "Champions over here, please!"

Since neither Terry nor Elizabeth were a champion, they stayed where they were, but were soon ushered into the hall. Professor McGonagall was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim other hat. She scanned the champions as she walked past behind Parkinson, Malfoy, Weasley, and one of the Patils. Delacour and Davis had stationed themselves near the door. Diggoy and Chang were close to Potter and Patil. When she walked past Krum and that girl, she finally recognized who she was. Elizabeth nearly gaped in surprise. It was Granger! Elizabeth realized that Malfoy and Parkinson and walked past Granger without an insult and that was a major accomplishment. When Terry and Elizabeth walked inside, she scanned the hall for Ginny. Elizabeth found her rather quickly, sitting with Longbottom.

Elizabeth glanced at Terry. "Would it be alright if we sat next to Ginny and Longbottom?"

Terry smiled. "Sure."

As they sat down next to Ginny and Longbottom, Ginny hugged Elizabeth around the waist.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" exclaimed Ginny. "You look rather pretty."

Elizabeth mock-sniffed. "Are you saying I don't look pretty all the time? My heart is breaking!"

Ginny swatted Elizabeth's arm. "You know what I mean, you prat."

Elizabeth grinned at Ginny. "You look nice as well. Nice dress robes."

Ginny wore a rather flattering green dress robes. It didn't show much skin, but it looked nice on her. Ginny's long, red hair was flowing over her shoulders.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You gave them to me for Christmas!"

"Oh, did I?" questioned Elizabeth. "I must have forgotten. Too bad Luna's dress robes couldn't be used."

Ginny sighed. "If only people would look past their prejudices and see the amazing girl underneath."

Terry shifted, looking guilty. Longbottom, who Elizabeth supposed never met Luna, looked confused.

"Well," Elizabeth said with a smirk, "at least Luna doesn't have to deal with the dancing."

"Speaking of dancing," Ginny said, "it seems that the champions are about to start."

After the champions finished dancing, everyone was seated. Elizabeth glanced at the plates and then at the menus. Perhaps…?

She noticed Dumbledore grab his menu, glance through it, and said very clearly to the plate, "Pork chops." Pork chops immediately appeared on his plate. Well, that answered _that_ question.

The group was soon joined by Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein. Neither of them seemed to have any dates, but they didn't look disappointed. Goldstein had said that, "It meant that we can ogle girls without having to worry about our dates' disproval." Elizabeth and Ginny had rolled their eyes, but the boys at the table laughed. After everyone ordered their meals and were talking, they all chatted amongst themselves. Ginny and Corner were chatting quite amiably, while Terry and Goldstein were talking about O.W.L.s. Elizabeth and Longbottom engaged in a polite conversation.

"So, you're in Slytherin?" asked Longbottom. He seemed to be relaxed, which was a very good thing.

"Yes," Elizabeth said. She grinned. "And you belong to Gryffindor. We must be enemies now or the world will end."

Longbottom laughed. "I'll only be your enemy if you become my enemy."

"Deal," Elizabeth said. "You seem relaxed."

Longbottom smiled. "I'm glad someone had said yes to me. I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to get a date, even if it is as 'friends only'. What about you and Boot? Is this a date or a 'friends only'?"

Elizabeth mock-gasped. "You don't ask such a thing to a stranger!"

"It's because you're a stranger that I'm asking it," Longbottom said.

"Touché," Elizabeth allowed. "As a date."

"He doesn't seem to be paying you much attention," Longbottom commented.

Elizabeth shrugged. "I'm practically doing the same. Watch out, I think Ginny might be stolen by Corner."

"If she wants to dance with Corner, that's fine," Longbottom said. "I'm not going to stop her from doing what she wants."

Elizabeth patted Longbottom's shoulder. "Good choice."

Everyone finished up their meals. Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.

The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their instruments and started playing a sombre song.

Terry held out a hand to Elizabeth. "Would you like to dance?"

Elizabeth smiled, taking the hand. "I would love to."

Next to them, Longbottom and Ginny did the same.

Together, they joined the champions and started to dance. Terry, Elizabeth decided, was a very good dancer. He hadn't even stepped on her toes once, unlike Longbottom who kept on stepping on Ginny's toes. Elizabeth was an okay dancer. She had been forced to learn when she went to a wedding just last summer. She wasn't exactly the best, but at least she knew the moves enough not to completely mess up. Elizabeth could even do a few twirls, but decided that it was not the time with such a sombre song on. Terry and Elizabeth danced slowly, completely focused on their dancing and each other. When the last note ended, they broke apart, blushing, hiding it by their applause.

Then, the next song started to play, this time a more upbeat one. Terry and Elizabeth danced again, but made sure not to go near one of the Weasley twins and Johnson who were dancing quite…er…exuberantly. This time, Terry twirled and spun Elizabeth many times until she grew so dizzy she stumbled into Terry and laughed. Terry grinned at Elizabeth. They clapped together when the song ended.

The Weird Sisters started up a new tune, this time a graceful, slow music, perfect for a waltz. Terry held out his hand once more and, together, they waltzed. Elizabeth laid her head on Terry's shoulder. It was very nice, this dancing. Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder why she had disliked it once before.

When the song ended, Terry turned to Elizabeth and smiled. "Would you like to take a walk?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Alright."

They left the hall and the front doors stood open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as they went down the front steps, where they found themselves surrounded by bushes; winding, ornamental paths; and large stone statues. Elizabeth could hear noises from a fountain. Elizabeth and Terry walked along one of the winding paths through the rosebushes, but together they stopped when they heard a familiar voice. Elizabeth glanced and saw Potter and Weasley on another path as well.

"… don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

Elizabeth motioned Terry to be quiet.

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroff's voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it—"

Clearer? What was getting clearer?

"Then flee," said Professor Snape curtly. "Flee - I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Why would anyone need to flee? Unless…

Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rosebushes apart, his expression most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Professor Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you four doing?" he added, catching sight of Elizabeth, Terry, Potter, and Weasley on the paths ahead.

"We're walking," Weasley told Professor Snape shortly. "Not against the law, is it?"

"Us as well, Professor," stated Elizabeth, knowing that it would be safer for her to say something.

"Keep walking, then!" Professor Snape snarled, and he brushed past them, his long black cloak billowing out behind him. Karkaroff hurried away after Professor Snape.

"Why don't we go a different way?" asked Terry.

"Agreed," said Elizabeth and they turned back to where they came to pick another path. They walked together in the moonlight, silent. Elizabeth was glad that Terry didn't try anything; all he did was hold her hand and walked close to her. Elizabeth found that she enjoyed the feeling of that night. It seemed magical, for some reason. After returning to the party and dancing some more, Terry and Elizabeth found themselves at the entrance hall, the Yule Ball over. There were few people around as most had either quit a long time ago, or went to a more private place to snog.

Elizabeth pecked Terry on the cheek.

"Thank you for the wonderful night," she said.

Terry blushed, turning a cute shade of red. "Do you think it would be alright if we could…uh…go out sometime?"

Elizabeth smiled. "I would love to."

With a hug, they separated and returned to their common rooms.

**A/N: And that is the Yule Ball, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks for reading. :)**


	8. Getting the Wand: First Year

_Getting the Wand: First Year_

Elizabeth had been most excited about her wand. She had heard about the wand process from her father when he told her all about the wizarding world a few weeks ago. However, it had been her mother who had joined her for the trip to Diagon Alley, not her father.

Elizabeth had decided to get her wand last: to get the best for last. So, together, Elizabeth and her mother walked into Ollivander's shop. Immediately, Elizabeth could feel something. She wasn't quite sure what, but her skin was tingling and her hairs on her neck stood up.

"Ah, good afternoon," said a man.

Elizabeth jumped. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed her mother whirling around, clutching her heart.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Miss…Burke, is it?" asked who had to be Mr. Ollivander.

"Please just call me Elizabeth," said Elizabeth, smiling politely.

Mr. Ollivander nodded absent mindedly. "Yes…yes…I remember your father's wand…Ash, with a Dragon heartstring. Eight inches…very flexible…Well now…which one is your wand arm?"

"I'm left handed," answered Elizabeth.

"Hold out your arm," said Mr. Ollivander and Elizabeth did so. He measured Elizabeth from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

The tape measure started measuring on its own as Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That'll do," said Mr. Ollivander and the tape measure instantly collapsed on itself. Mr. Ollivander handed Elizabeth the wand. "Take this. Phoenix tail feathers, Aspen, eight inches, very flexible. Give it a wave now."

Dubiously, Elizabeth was about to wave the wand, but Mr. Ollivander gave her a new wand.

"Unicorn hair, Beech, nine inches, springy, go on then," said Mr. Ollivander, but before Elizabeth could move it, he snatched it out of her hands. He gave her a new wand. "Walnut, Dragon heartstring, ten inches, very sturdy. Try it now."

Elizabeth waved the wand and silver and gold sparks came out from the wand. Her mother clapped enthusiastically.

Mr. Ollivander smiled. "Yes, that seems to be the one. Interesting…"

"What's interesting, sir?" asked Elizabeth.

Mr. Ollivander chuckled. "Oh, nothing, just an old man's musing. That will be all."

Elizabeth's mother paid the money for the wand and they were off.

Elizabeth was curious to know what was so interesting about her wand and made sure to remember to try to find a book about wandlore.

**A/N: What's interesting is that Walnut isn't either light or dark, nor does it have any strengths or weakness. As stated somewhere, "A beautiful, strong, and versatile wood. Unlike black walnut, it has no slant towards Light or Dark." Elizabeth, although against Voldemort, is neither 'light' nor 'dark'. She's more of a grey, which is what I feel that Walnut as the wood is. Really REALLY short, though. Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Lockhart's Class: First Year

_Lockhart's Class: First Year_

Elizabeth had heard about Gilderoy Lockhart. Apparently, her father didn't think much of Lockhart, but told her to be careful anyways. Elizabeth, who had read all of the books, thought that it was utterly ridiculous. All he did was spend a few chapters on the actual battle and spent the rest talking about himself. It was a very vain book, but Elizabeth made sure she knew it anyways. Who knew if Lockhart would have a quiz on the first day?

In retrospect, Elizabeth thought she should be a seer, considering that she managed to predict the quiz.

Elizabeth had been dreading Defence Against the Dark Arts. She had heard whispers about Lockhart from the upperclassmen that had him first. All of the males and a few of the girls thought he was a joke. The 'fanharts', as Elizabeth liked to call them, mostly girls and a few males, had talked about how Lockhart was amazing. Elizabeth didn't think much of Lockhart, which was probably why she gathered so much humour and disgust that class.

Elizabeth made sit at the back of the class, not wanting a close proximity to Lockhart. She noticed that Lockhart was in the front of the classroom, along with Lockhart paintings all around the wall. It was way too much Lockhart. Although Elizabeth had to admit that he was rather good looking, good looks did not help the absolute idiocy and arrogance he seemed to held.

When everyone was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat. He took his _Magical Me_ from his desk, holding it up so that his winking portrait would show.

"Me," he said, winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He seemed to wait for some people to laugh, but only the fanharts giggled.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books — well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes — start —now!"

Elizabeth flipped over the paper and snorted rather loudly. The questions were utterly ridiculous. She knew most, if not all, of the answers, but at least Lockhart could have had the decency to not base every question on him. Fifty-four questions about Lockhart! Elizabeth threw away her old opinion of Lockhart. He wasn't just an idiot and arrogant, he was a huge idiot, very arrogant, extremely vain, and facepalm worthy.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class. Elizabeth ignored what he said by daydreaming, she didn't want to listen to such idiocy, but came back when she heard her name.

"…But Miss Elizabeth Mareau got the highest remarks!" stated Lockhart confidently, horribly mispronouncing her last name. "Not perfect, but the highest in this class. Where is Miss Elizabeth Mureau?"

"Not here," said Elizabeth, either trying to suppress a smile or her annoyance. She wasn't quite sure which. Anyone that knew her name looked incredulously at her.

Lockhart frowned. "Not here? But she took the quiz…"

"She said she wasn't feeling well, so she left," stated Elizabeth. Merlin, was Lockhart _this _stupid? Sure, it was the first day of class and therefore, he didn't know what anyone looked like, but still.

Lockhart blinked. "Well…alright then. Five points to…what is that girl's house?"

"Slytherin," she managed to say before any Gryffindors could say their house.

"Five points to Slytherin!" exclaimed Lockhart.

The Slytherins smirked at the Gryffindors as they groaned. Sure, Elizabeth wasn't in the Gryffindor house, but it was still a lost point opportunity.

Lockhart then lifted a large, covered cage.

"Now — be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. There were few things that could terrify her that could fit in a small cage like _that_.

"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

Elizabeth blinked. She had heard about Cornish pixies. They weren't exactly the most dangerous creatures, but they were fairly annoying. Elizabeth could tell that something was going to go horribly wrong.

"These pixies are Devilish tricky little blighters!" exclaimed Lockhart loudly. "Now, let's see how you handle them."

And Lockhart let the pixies out.

Elizabeth sighed. Lockhart hadn't even told them how to deal with them! Sure, she knew, but still…

It was insane. Many pixies were picking people up, others were flying everywhere, and some were breaking all of the stuff in the room. All of the Lockhart paintings, who apparently were ready for this, were already out of their portraits. Elizabeth had heard about the Pixies from all of the upperclassmen, it seemed that Lockhart said the exact same stuff as well, and as such, had already looked up how to stop them. She started batting away Pixies with her textbooks.

"Not to worry!" Lockhart said jovially. "Pixie Fuge!"

Well, at least the spell seemed to be new. However, it didn't do anything. One of the pixies grabbed his wand and threw it away (again it seemed) and Lockhart beat a hasty retreat. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Everyone had run out of the room. She took out her wand, beating away the Pixies with a textbook in her hand, and used a freezing charm on each of the Pixies before leaving, not even bothering to put Pixies back in their cage. When Lockhart was done cowering under his desk, he could do it.

Hopefully, the freezing charm was gone by then.

**A/N: I felt that Lockhart, as stupid as he is, wouldn't be able to come up with various lesson plans and would say the same thing every time. Thanks for reading!**


	10. The Duelling Club: First Year

_The Duelling Club: First Year_

Elizabeth had been walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. She recognized Luna from the crowd and walked to her.

"What does the notice say?" asked Elizabeth. She had learned to be very exact with her questions.

"One of the professors is starting a duelling club," said Luna dreamingly. Elizabeth was also, slowly, learning that Luna's 'dreamy' tone was her regular tone.

"Are you going to go to the duelling club meeting tonight?" asked Elizabeth.

Luna shook her head. "Oh, no, I heard about a nargles infestation in the third corridor. The best time to get rid of nargles is at eight, you know."

Elizabeth nodded. "Sorry that I won't be able to join you. I do want to go to the duelling club. Well, at least as long it is not Lockhart teaching it."

At eight o'clock, Elizabeth realized that she should have knocked on wood. Damn Murphy's Law.

Lockhart was walking onto the stage at exactly eight, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Professor Snape, wearing his usual black.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions — for full details, see my published works."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry — you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

Elizabeth really hoped that Professor Snape would show that idiot who was the best. Most of the Slytherins were good duellers; they would have to be if they kept on antagonizing three-fourths of the school. Elizabeth knew it would be a good show anyways; Professor Snape's lip was curling. He looked very dangerous.

Lockhart and Professor Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Professor Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

Professor Snape was baring his teeth. Elizabeth was going to enjoy the show greatly.

"One — two — three —"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Professor Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Elizabeth, along with a few of the other Slytherins, cheered. Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown — yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy— however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"

Professor Snape was looking murderous. Elizabeth smirked, her eyes sparkling with glee. She really hoped that Lockhart wouldn't have sense to not continue.

However, it seemed that Elizabeth's hopes were crushed as Lockhart looked a bit nervous. "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me —"

They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Elizabeth was put with another first year that she didn't know. She looked to be a Hufflepuff, though.

After everyone was paired up, Lockhart called, back on the platform, "Face your partners! And bow!"

Elizabeth and her partner bowed politely.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one… two… three —"

"Expelliarmus!" exclaimed Elizabeth. The Hufflepuff's wand flew right out of her hand. She looked rather disappointed.

Elizabeth smiled. "It's alright. I've practiced magic for a while—" lies "—so, it's perfectly okay."

Although the Hufflepuff didn't look happy, per say, but she did look to be less upset.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd. Obviously, some kids were going way to far…Elizabeth tried to see who it was and wasn't surprised. It was Potter and Malfoy. Malfoy, while doubled over, managed to choke out, "Tarantallegra" that caused Potter to jerk around.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Professor Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatum!" he shouted; Potter's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.

Elizabeth looked around. It seemed to be utter chaos. A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. A few people were still duelling; the upperclassmen using some unusual hexes that Elizabeth made sure to keep a note of.

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan…

"Careful there, Miss Fawcett… Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second,"

"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. No, you think? He glanced at Professor Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Professor Snape. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Longbottom's round, pink face went pinker. Seriously, what was with Professor Snape's animosity with both Longbottom and Potter? If there was one thing Elizabeth didn't get about her head of house, it was that. In fact, it made Professor Snape's next choice obvious.

"How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Professor Snape with a twisted smile.

Elizabeth knew she should be rooting for the person in her house, but couldn't help but cheer Potter a little inwardly in her head. Anyone that could bring Malfoy down a peg was alright in her books.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, showing that he absolutely didn't know what he was talking about. He gestured Potter and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."

He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it.

What an idiot. Perhaps Potter wouldn't be able to bring Malfoy down a peg after all.

Professor Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops— my wand is a little overexcited—"

Professor Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too.

Elizabeth nearly groaned. Yup, Potter was screwed.

Potter looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"

Lockhart cuffed Potter merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"

"What, drop my wand?"

Elizabeth stifled a chuckle.

Lockhart wasn't listening. "Three — two — one — go!" he shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded. Elizabeth rolled her eyes when a long, black snake shot out of it, falling heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. Of course Malfoy would summon a snake. Of course Professor Snape would tell Malfoy that spell.

There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor. Elizabeth hung back enough that she wouldn't be in range of the snake, but made sure that she was close enough that she could still hear everyone.

"Don't move, Potter," said Professor Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Potter standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it…"

Seriously, what does Professor Snape _have_ against Potter anyways? He seemed to hate Potter enough to get civilians bitten, at least.

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. This is not going to go well…He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Way to go, idiot.

Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward a Hufflepuff student and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. Then, Potter ran forward and…_hissed._ Immediately, the snake slumped to the floor, docile. Potter looked at the Hufflepuff student, grinning, but like everyone else, the Hufflepuff student was shocked.

"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and had turned and stormed out of the hall.

Professor Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Professor Snape, too, was looking at Potter in an unexpected way: it was a shrewd and calculating look, almost like the one Elizabeth was having. After a few silent moments, Potter was guided out of the hallway by Weasley and Granger.

While the hall burst into whispers, Lockhart trying and failing to get anyone under control, Elizabeth thought. Elizabeth had heard about the snake speak, Parseltongue, from hearing about her house's founder, Salazar Slytherin. Yet, why would a Gryffindor have such a skill? Better yet, why would Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, be a snake speaker? After all, the last known Parselmouth was Voldemort. Plus, they said that only the heirs of Slytherin would be able to get the gift. Then again, a lot of the wizarding families were related in some way. Elizabeth was sure that, perhaps, every pureblood and halfblood was related to Slytherin in some way. Still, it couldn't be more than a drop of blood. Could that one drop give someone that gift? Or is there something else that Elizabeth was not seeing, not getting because she didn't have enough information? Whatever it was, Elizabeth would just have to let whatever happen, happen.

Unlike the other people, who were currently whispering about how Potter was the Heir of Slytherin and the one petrifying people, Elizabeth knew that Potter couldn't be the Heir of Slytherin in _that _way. Sure, he was a snake speaker, but Potter did have a muggleborn mother _and_ Granger as a best friend. It would be strange and completely out-of-character for him to attack muggleborns.

Still, it was very interesting. Elizabeth guessed she just had to wait and see.

**A/N: And ****_that's_**** done. Thanks for reading. :)**


	11. The Burrow and Diagon Alley: Fifth Year

_The Burrow and Diagon Alley: Fifth Year_

Just as Ginny said, she invited Elizabeth to come to the Burrow. Although Elizabeth had been friends with Ginny for a long time, Elizabeth had never been to Ginny's home, although she met Mr. and Mrs. Weasley once in Diagon Alley. Then again, Elizabeth usually spent all the time that she could with her mother. Now that Elizabeth's mother had…past, Elizabeth didn't mind leaving her father's house. Especially since it seemed that her mother was right: her father did drink a lot, but like her mum had said, her father was rarely violent when drunk. There had only been one incident, but Elizabeth managed to stop her father before he actually punched her. She did have a bruise from the vice grip her gave her. Elizabeth suspected that the incident was the reason why her father let her go to the Burrow. He seemed too overprotective to do otherwise. Elizabeth was to stay at the burrow until the term started, which wasn't too far away. Luckily, the bruises had almost completely healed, she healed the bruise the muggle way, and as long as she made sure the bruises were out of sight with a glamour, everything was fine.

Currently, it was very late at night. Elizabeth had been deep asleep when she had heard voices from downstairs. Currently, she was sharing a room with Ginny and Hermione, herself sleeping on an empty space on the floor. Mrs. Weasley hadn't wanted Elizabeth to sleep on the floor, but when Elizabeth told Mrs. Weasley that she slept on the floor all the time at other people's houses and all she needed were a few blankets and a pillow, Mrs. Weasley relented. It was already packed enough with two beds in Ginny's room.

Elizabeth checked her watch and it read that it was around one in the morning. She decided to go downstairs. Luckily, her pyjamas were fairly normal; just a t-shirt and pants. She walked down the stairs, yawning, noticing that Tonks, Mrs. Weasley, Dumbledore, and Harry were there. Before Elizabeth could greet Tonks, she had left.

"Hello, Professor," said Elizabeth politely. "Harry, Mrs. Weasley."

"Hello, Miss Moreau. Well, I shall see you at Hogwarts, Harry," said Dumbledore. "Take care of yourself. Molly, your servant."

He made Mrs. Weasley a bow and followed Tonks, vanishing at precisely the same spot.

Harry blinked. "Elizabeth! I didn't know you were here!"

"Ginny invited me," said Elizabeth. "I just came last night along with Granger."

"What are you doing up?" asked Mrs. Weasley. She steered Harry by the shoulders into the full glow of the lantern on the table to examine his appearance.

"You're like Ron," she sighed, looking him up and down. "Both of you look as though you've had Stretching Jinxes put on you. I swear Ron's grown four inches since I last bought him school robes. Are you hungry, Harry, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm not all that hungry. You really cooked a lot for dinner…tonight? Last night?"

"Yeah, I am," said Harry.

"Sit down, dears, I'll knock something up," said Mrs. Weasley. Both Elizabeth and Harry sat at the table. Crookshanks jumped on Harry's lap.

"How was your summer?" asked Elizabeth as Mrs. Weasley gave Harry some onion soup and bread.

"It was fine," said Harry. "How about yours?"

"Good," stated Elizabeth.

Mrs. Weasley sat across from Harry. "So you persuaded Horace Slughorn to take the job?"

Harry nodded in agreement.

It took Elizabeth a few moments to remember where she had heard the name Horace Slughorn before. She remembered that Slughorn was the Potions Master and the head of Slytherin before Professor Snape. He was very famous for having the 'Slug Club' that only had 'elite' members. But, if Slughorn was the old potions master, then where would Professor Snape go? Unless…

"He taught Arthur and me," said Mrs. Weasley. "He was at Hogwarts for ages, started around the same time as Dumbledore, I think. Did you like him?"

Harry shrugged and gave a noncommittal jerk of the head.

"I know what you mean," said Mrs. Weasley, nodding wisely. "Of course he can be charming when he wants to be, but Arthur's never liked him much. The Ministry's littered with Slughorn's old favourites, he was always good at giving leg ups, but he never had much time for Arthur… didn't seem to think he was enough of a highflier. Well, that just shows you, even Slughorn makes mistakes. I don't know whether Ron's told you in any of his letters… it's only just happened… but Arthur's been promoted!"

Elizabeth smiled. She had heard the news just that morning, or was it yesterday?

Harry swallowed his hot soup fast. It seemed to be painful as tears came to his eyes. "That's great!"

"It really is, Mrs. Weasley," said Elizabeth enthusiastically.

"You two are sweet," Mrs. Weasley beamed. "Yes, Rufus Scrimgeour has set up several new offices in response to the present situation, and Arthur's heading the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects. It's a big job; he's got ten people reporting to him now!"

"What exactly?" Harry asked. Elizabeth got the feeling that he hadn't read all he could on the wizarding world, unlike herself or even Granger.

"Well, you see, in all the panic about You-Know-Who, odd things have been cropping up for sale everywhere, things that are supposed to guard against You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. You can imagine the kind of thing… so-called protective potions that are really gravy with a bit of bubotuber pus added, or instructions for defensive jinxes that actually make your ears fall off… Well, in the main the perpetrators are just people like Mundungus Fletcher, who've never done an honest day's work in their lives and are taking advantage of how frightened everybody is, but every now and then something really nasty turns up. The other day Arthur confiscated a box of cursed Sneakoscopes that were almost certainly planted by a Death Eater. So you see, it's a very important job, and I tell him it's just silly to miss dealing with spark plugs and toasters and all the rest of that Muggle rubbish."

Mrs. Weasley ended her speech with a stern look, as if it had been Harry suggesting that it was natural to miss spark plugs. Elizabeth was glad that the stern look wasn't aimed in her direction.

"Is Mr. Weasley still at work?" Harry asked.

"Yes, he is. As a matter of fact, he's a tiny bit late… He said he'd be back around midnight…"

She turned to look at a large clock that was perched awkwardly on top of a pile of sheets in the washing basket at the end of the table.

Elizabeth had seen the clock just the other day. It was a strange clock with nine hands, but instead of telling time, it showed certain situations in which case the Weasley family could be in. Since Elizabeth had been there, and probably a while before, each hand pointed to "mortal peril."

"It's been like that for a while now," said Mrs. Weasley, in an unconvincingly casual voice, "ever since You-Know-Who came back into the open. I suppose everybody's in mortal danger now… I don't think it can be just our family… but I don't know anyone else who's got a clock like this, so I can't check. Oh!"

With a sudden exclamation she pointed at the clock's face. Mr. Weasley's hand had switched to "travelling." That was really useful. Perhaps Elizabeth should ask how Mrs. Weasley got that clock…'Course, she didn't have much family to put on it, but she wouldn't mind putting her friends on there.

"He's coming!"

And sure enough, a moment later there was a knock on the back door. Mrs. Weasley jumped up and hurried to it; with one hand on the doorknob and her face pressed against the wood she called softly, "Arthur, is that you?"

"Yes," came Mr. Weasley's weary voice. "But I would say that even if I were a Death Eater, dear. Ask the question!"

Elizabeth hardly thought that the clock would have worked if it wasn't Mr. Weasley, but Elizabeth didn't say otherwise.

"Oh, honestly…"

"Molly!"

"All right, all right… What is your dearest ambition?"

"To find out how airplanes stay up."

Then again, asking questions were also quite ridiculous. What if the person got captured and the Death Eaters tortured them for information? Then again, someone _could_ lie, but unless they were skilled at Occlumency, the captors probably could figure out if they were lying or not.

Mrs. Weasley nodded and turned the doorknob, but apparently Mr. Weasley was holding tight to it on the other side, because the door remained firmly shut.

"Molly! I've got to ask you your question first!"

"Arthur, really, this is just silly…"

"What do you like me to call you when we're alone together?"

Elizabeth could tell that Mrs. Weasley was blushing horribly. She and Harry glanced at each other, before partaking in a very loud conversation, drowning out Mrs. Weasley's answer.

"So—!"

"How's—!"

Elizabeth and Harry spoke loudly in unison, but stopped when they heard Mr. Weasley say:

"Correct. Now you can let me in."

Mrs. Weasley opened the door to reveal her husband, a thin, balding, red-haired wizard wearing horn-rimmed spectacles and a long and dusty travelling cloak.

"I still don't see why we have to go through that every time you come home," said Mrs. Weasley, still pink in the face as she helped her husband out of his cloak. "I mean, a Death Eater might have forced the answer out of you before impersonating you!"

Exactly what Elizabeth thought.

"I know, dear, but its Ministry procedure and I have to set an example. Something smells good… onion soup?"

Mr. Weasley turned hopefully in the direction of the table.

"Harry! We didn't expect you until morning!" exclaimed Mr. Weasley. "Elizabeth, what are you doing up?"

"When Harry came in, the voices woke me up," explained Elizabeth with a shrug.

Harry shook hands with Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley dropped into the chair beside Harry as Mrs. Weasley set a bowl of soup in front of him too.

"Thanks, Molly. It's been a tough night. Some idiot's started selling Metamorph-Medals. Just sling them around your neck and you'll be able to change your appearance at will. A hundred thousand disguises, all for ten Galleons!"

"And what really happens when you put them on?"

"Mostly you just turn a fairly unpleasant orange colour, but a couple of people have also sprouted tentacle like warts all over their bodies. As if St. Mungo's didn't have enough to do already!"

"It sounds like the sort of thing Fred and George would find funny," said Mrs. Weasley hesitantly. "Are you sure…?"

"Of course I am!" said Mr. Weasley. "The boys wouldn't do anything like that now, not when people are desperate for protection!"

"So is that why you're late, Metamorph-Medals?"

"No, we got wind of a nasty backfiring jinx down in Elephant and Castle, but luckily the Magical Law Enforcement Squad had sorted it out by the time we got there…"

Harry stifled a yawn behind his hand.

"Bed, both of you," said an undeceived Mrs. Weasley at once. "I've got Fred and George's room all ready for you, Harry, you'll have it to yourself."

"Ah, that's why none of us were allowed in that room," Elizabeth said, nodding sagely.

Harry glanced at Elizabeth, surprised. Mrs. Weasley looked guilty. Elizabeth hadn't meant for her to feel bad about it. "Where are you sleeping?"

"With Granger and Ginny in Ginny's room," Elizabeth answered.

Harry frowned. "But…with the two beds, it is really small. How could you guys fit—?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

Suddenly, Harry grabbed Elizabeth's arm and stared at the faded bruise. Elizabeth winced. She forgot to put the glamour on when she woke up. Then again, since it had almost faded away, she assumed that no one would notice. No such luck; it seemed that Harry was very good at noticing things.

"What's this?" asked Harry coldly.

"Nothing," said Elizabeth easily. She had always lied well, even before going to Hogwarts. "I accidentally bang into the door at my dad's house. Although I'm there for Christmas, I'm not too used to the house."

Harry frowned. "They look like bruises one would get if someone gripped them too hard. Trust me, I would know."

"Let me see that, dear," Mrs. Weasley said kindly to Elizabeth.

"And just how would you know?" Elizabeth asked Harry, unintentionally ignoring Mrs. Weasley.

Harry looked uncomfortable. Neither of the teens noticed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley frowning.

"I – I just know, okay?" said Harry, stuttering slightly. "How'd you get the bruises?"

"How do you know what a vice grip feels like?" retorted Elizabeth. "I've never felt one, but it seems that you have."

The two teens stared at each other, stubborn, neither refusing to give up. Elizabeth had a faint idea. She had seen Harry's uncle, aunt, and cousin at King's Cross and had heard about how they needed threatening. Elizabeth didn't know how bad it was, but she knew that Harry must not have lived the most _comfortable_ home life. They both startled when Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. Harry realized that he was still holding Elizabeth's arm and let it go, blushing. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and laid back in her chair casually, but hiding the bruise from sight.

"Bed, both of you," said Mrs. Weasley sternly. "You guys can talk, tomorrow."

"Technically, it's today," Elizabeth couldn't help but point out. She blushed when she did. "Sorry."

"I've had Fred and George as sons," Mrs. Weasley said with a laugh. "You can't get any worse than that."

"Oh, I don't know," Elizabeth said lightly. "I can think of a few people who are worse than the twins."

Elizabeth and Harry shared a glance, ignoring the fact that they had been in a battle of wills just a few moments before. They both seemed to be thinking the same thing: Malfoy.

Harry yawned again. Mrs. Weasley shooed them up the stairs. They stared at each other as they reached their separate rooms.

"So, what was that bruise about?" asked Harry.

"How do you know what it feels like to be gripped so hard that you have bruises?" asked Elizabeth in return.

They both glared at each other, before walking into their rooms.

Neither had won, but they were damn sure going to try again soon.

-x-

"Dunno," said Harry. "He can't be worse than Umbridge, can he?"

"I know someone who's worse than Umbridge," said a voice from the doorway. Ginny slouched into the room, looking irritable. Elizabeth, who was right behind her, rolled her eyes. "Hi, Harry."

"What's up with you?" Weasley asked.

"It's her," said Ginny, plonking herself down on Harry's bed. "She's driving me mad."

"What's she done now?" asked Granger sympathetically.

"It's the way she talks to me… you'd think I was about three!"

"I know," said Granger, dropping her voice. "She's so full of herself."

Elizabeth saw that Harry was confused. Maybe he didn't know who exactly was here…

"Can't you two lay off her for five seconds?" said Weasley angrily.

"Oh, that's right, defend her," snapped Ginny. "We all know you can't get enough of her."

"I think she's fine," said Elizabeth.

Ginny snorted. "That's only because you're part French. If it wasn't for that, you'd be annoyed like the rest of us."

Elizabeth could see Harry's confusion deepening. She stifled a chuckle.

Harry started to say, "Who are you…?" but was ultimately interrupted when the door suddenly flew open. Harry yanked the bedcovers up to his chin so hard that Granger and Ginny slid off the bed onto the floor. Elizabeth, who didn't sit on the bed like the other girls, laughed at their misfortune.

Fleur walked in, holding a breakfast tray. "'Arry," she said in a throaty voice. "Eet 'as been too long!"

The only thing she felt that was annoying about Fleur was her French accent. Seriously? Then again, she didn't live in Britain, unlike her mother, so that was fairly acceptable.

As she swept over the threshold toward him, Mrs. Weasley was revealed, bobbing along in her wake, looking rather cross.

"There was no need to bring up the tray, I was just about to do it myself!"

"Eet was no trouble," said Fleur, setting the tray across Harry's knees and then swooping to kiss him on each cheek. Harry blushed. "I 'ave been longing to see 'im. You remember my seester, Gabrielle? She never stops talking about 'Arry Potter. She will be delighted to see you again."

"Oh… is she here too?" Harry croaked. Elizabeth couldn't help but roll her eyes. Seriously, boys were quite single-minded. Flash a pretty smile and it seemed that they were done.

"No, no, silly boy," said Fleur with a tinkling laugh, "I mean next summer, when we… but do you not know?"

Her great blue eyes widened and she looked reproachfully at Mrs. Weasley, who said, "We hadn't got around to telling him yet."

Fleur turned back to Harry, swinging her silvery sheet of hair so that it whipped Mrs. Weasley across the face. "Bill and I are going to be married!"

"Oh," said Harry blankly. "Wow. Er… congratulations!"

She swooped down upon him and kissed him again.

"Soyez prudent, Bill pourrait être jaloux si tu embrasses Harry trop," teased Elizabeth. Be careful, Bill might be jealous if you kiss Harry too much.

Fleur laughed. "Bill n'a pas à s'inquiéter. Je l'aime trop pour lui donner jusqu'à pour Harry." Bill does not have to worry. I love him too much to give him up for Harry.

"Bill is very busy at ze moment, working very 'ard," Fleur said to Harry in English, "and I only work part-time at Gringotts for my Eenglish, so he brought me 'ere for a few days to get to know 'is family properly. I was so pleased to 'ear you would be coming… zere isn't much to do 'ere, unless you like cooking and chickens! Well… enjoy your breakfast, 'Arry!"

With these words she turned gracefully and seemed to float out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Mrs. Weasley made a noise that sounded like, "tchah!"

"Mum hates her," said Ginny quietly.

"I do not hate her!" said Mrs. Weasley in a cross whisper. "I just think they've hurried into this engagement, that's all!"

"They've known each other a year," said Weasley, who looked oddly groggy and was staring at the closed door.

"Well, that's not very long! I know why it's happened, of course. It's all this uncertainty with You-Know-Who coming back, people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over. It was the same last time he was powerful, people eloping left, right, and centre…"

"Including you and Dad," said Ginny slyly.

"Yes, well, your father and I were made for each other, what was the point in waiting?" said Mrs. Weasley. "Whereas Bill and Fleur… well… what have they really got in common? He's a hardworking, down-to-earth sort of person, whereas she's…"

"A cow," said Ginny, nodding. "But Bill's not that down-to-earth. He's a Curse-Breaker, isn't he, he likes a bit of adventure, a bit of glamour… I expect that's why he's gone for Phlegm."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as Granger and Harry laughed at the nickname and Mrs. Weasley looked reproachful. "You guys, she isn't really that bad. You say that you don't see what they have in common with each other, but people don't have to have anything in common with each other to be in love. You know, you guys really make her feel bad. She talks to me all the time, Fleur, because I'm the only girl who doesn't treat her as if she was the dirt on her shoes. Fleur seems to think that you guys hate her because she's French, and I didn't dissuade her from that, but, really, Mrs. Weasley, I appreciate you letting me live in your house and I know it isn't any of my business since I'm not a part of the family, but couldn't you guys at least respect Bill's wishes and at least _try_ to get along with her instead of sticking up your nose at her? You all talk about how it would be better if Bill fell in love with Tonks because she's smarter and funnier, but maybe you should let Bill decide for himself. Plus, it isn't as if Fleur is unintelligent; she did get into the Triwizard Tournament, after all. This may not be my place to say it, and I'm sorry if I seem rude Mrs. Weasley, but just give her a break!"

Elizabeth stormed out of the room, leaving behind shocked and startled looks. She noticed Fleur standing across the hall, eyes glistening with tears.

"Merci beaucoup," Fleur said as they walked downstairs. Thank you very much. "Bien que je ne m'inquiète pas si ils ne m'aiment pas, je ne donne pas Bill jusqu'à pour quiconque, mais je souhaite que je pourrais encore obtenir leur approbation." Although I do not care if they do not like me, I am not giving up Bill for anyone, but I wish I could still get their approval.

Elizabeth sighed. "Ils vont s'habituer à vous par la suite. Il faudra un certain temps, si." They'll get used to you eventually. It will take some time, though.

"Merci beaucoup," Fleur said again. Thank you very much.

Elizabeth smiled. "Pas de problème." No problem.

Fleur wiped her eyes and busied herself in the kitchen along with Elizabeth, the two of them chatting aimlessly in French. They two of them continued talking, even as a very subdued Mrs. Weasley walked downstairs.

"You two don't need to worry about that," Mrs. Weasley said to Elizabeth and Fleur. "It's alright dears, I can do it."

Fleur shook her head. "'Iz fine, Mrs. Weasley."

"Don't worry about it," said Elizabeth. "This is the least I can do after your hospitality."

In a few moments, Granger had called for Mrs. Weasley. She had a black eye. Elizabeth's eyebrows rose. What…?

After trying a few spells, Mrs. Weasley turned to her book, _The Healer's Helpmate_. It was then when Harry walked downstairs and into the kitchen.

"It just won't budge," Mrs. Weasley was saying anxiously, standing over Hermione with her wand in her hand. "This has always worked before, I just can't understand it."

"It'll be Fred and George's idea of a funny joke, making sure it can't come off," said Ginny.

"But it's got to come off!" squeaked Granger. "I can't go around looking like this forever!"

"You won't, dear, we'll find an antidote, don't worry," said Mrs. Weasley soothingly.

"Bill told me Fred and George are very amusing!" said Fleur, smiling serenely.

"Yes, I can hardly breathe for laughing," snapped Granger. Elizabeth frowned. Really? Even after the lecture Elizabeth had given them?

She jumped up and started walking round and round the kitchen, twisting her fingers together.

"Mrs. Weasley, you're quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?"

"Yes, dear, I'd have noticed," said Mrs. Weasley patiently. "But it's barely nine, there's still plenty of time…"

"I know I messed up Ancient Runes," muttered Hermione feverishly, "I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defence Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. I thought Transfiguration went all right at the time, but looking back —"

"Merlin, Granger," said Elizabeth, rolling her eyes. "You probably have all OWLs, anyways."

"Don't, don't, don't!" said Granger, flapping her hands hysterically. "I know I've failed everything!"

"What happens if we fail?" Harry asked the room at large, but it was Granger who answered.

"We discuss our options with our Head of House, I asked Professor McGonagall at the end of last term."

"At Beauxbatons," said Fleur complacently, "we 'ad a different way of doing things. I think eet was better. We sat our examinations after six years of study, not five, and then…" Probably not the best time, Fleur.

Fleur's words were drowned in a scream. Granger was pointing through the kitchen window. Three black specks were clearly visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.

"They're definitely owls," said Ron hoarsely, jumping up to join Granger at the window.

"And there are three of them," said Harry, hastening to her other side.

"One for each of us," said Granger in a terrified whisper. "Oh no… oh no… oh no…"

Geez, these three were Captain Obviouses…Obvious? What _was_ the plural for "obvious" anyways? Captains of Obvious? Still didn't sound right…

Granger gripped both Harry and Weasley tightly around the elbows.

The owls were flying directly at the Burrow, three handsome tawnies, each of which, it became clear as they flew lower over the path leading up to the house, was carrying a large square envelope.

"Oh no!" squealed Granger.

Mrs. Weasley squeezed past them and opened the kitchen window. One, two, three, the owls soared through it and landed on the table in a neat line. All three of them lifted their right legs.

Harry, Weasley, and Granger managed to get their letters and check over their requirements. Both Weasley and Harry looked delighted, but Granger looked rather disappointed.

"Knew you'd be top at Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Weasley, punching Harry on the shoulder. "We've done all right, haven't we?"

"Well done!" said Mrs. Weasley proudly, ruffling Weasley's hair. "Seven OWLs, that's more than Fred and George got together!"

"Hermione?" said Ginny tentatively, for Granger still hadn't turned around. "How did you do?"

"I — not bad," said Granger in a small voice.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come off it," said Weasley, striding over to her and whipping her results out of her hand. "Yep… ten 'Outstandings' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' at Defence Against the Dark Arts."

He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. "You're actually disappointed, aren't you?"

…How'd she managed an Exceeds Expectations on Defence Against the Dark Arts?

Granger shook her head, but Harry laughed.

"Well, we're N.E.W.T. students now!" grinned Weasley. "Mum, are there any more sausages?"

All Weasley ever thought about was food.

-x-

For the next few weeks before the term started, everyone ended up spending most of their time playing Quidditch. It was generally Elizabeth and Harry against Weasley and Ginny (Granger had opted to watch) and all of them were about the same level. Well, Harry was the best flier by far, but Elizabeth, Ginny, and Weasley were about the same, even if Elizabeth sucked at Quidditch. Ginny had never really figured out why Elizabeth was Elizabeth was so good at flying, but sucked badly at Quidditch.

It would have been a happy, peaceful holiday had it not been for the stones of disappearances, odd accidents, even of deaths now appearing almost daily in the Prophet. Sometimes Bill and Mr. Weasley brought home news before it even reached the paper. To Mrs. Weasley's displeasure, Harry's sixteenth birthday celebrations were marred by grisly tidings brought to the party by Remus Lupin, who was looking gaunt and grim, his brown hair streaked liberally with gray, and his clothes more ragged and patched than ever.

"There have been another couple of Dementor attacks," he announced, as Mrs. Weasley passed him a large slice of birthday cake. "And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it… well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after deserting the Death Eaters; Sirius's brother, Regulus, only managed a few days as far as I can remember."

"Yes, well," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning, "perhaps we should talk about something diff…"

"Did you hear about Florean Fortescue, Remus?" asked Bill, who was being plied with wine by Fleur. "The man who ran…"

"Is the ice-cream place in Diagon Alley?" Harry interrupted. "He used to give me free ice creams. What's happened to him?"

"Dragged off, by the look of his place."

Elizabeth winced.

"Why?" asked Weasley, while Mrs. Weasley pointedly glared at Bill.

"Who knows? He must've upset them somehow. He was a good man, Florean."

"Talking of Diagon Alley," said Mr. Weasley, "looks like Ollivander's gone too."

"The wandmaker?" said Ginny, looking startled.

"That's the one. Shop's empty. No sign of a struggle. No one knows whether he left voluntarily or was kidnapped."

"But what'll people do for wands?"

"They'll make do with other makers," said Professor Lupin. "But Ollivander was the best, and if the other side have got him it's not so good for us."

The day after this rather gloomy birthday tea, their letters and booklists arrived from Hogwarts. Harry had been made Quidditch Captain. When everyone heard about it, everyone congratulated Harry. Elizabeth sighed, undoubtedly feeling sorry for all of the losses that Slytherin had managed to collect over the years, but generally happy for Harry.

It was of no surprise that Elizabeth did not get a Prefect badge.

-x-

The morning of going into Diagon Alley and grabbing their new supplies, Bill tossed both Harry and Elizabeth a sack of money.

"Where's mine?" demanded Weasley at once, his eyes wide.

"That's already there's you dolt," said Bill. "I got it out of your vaults for you both, because it's taking about five hours for the public to get to their gold at the moment, the goblins have tightened security so much. Two days ago Arkie Philpott had a Probity Probe stuck up his… Well, trust me, this way's easier."

"Thanks, Bill," said Harry, pocketing his gold.

Elizabeth frowned. "I know you're a Curse Breaker for the bank and all, but how'd you get into our vault? Only my father and I can get in it, not that I'm being ungrateful or anything, I'm just wondering."

Bill shrugged. "I know people."

"E is always so thoughtful," purred Fleur adoringly, stroking Bill's nose. Ginny mimed vomiting into her cereal behind Fleur. Harry choked over his cornflakes, and Weasley thumped him on the back. Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

It was an overcast, murky day. One of the special Ministry of Magic cars, in which Elizabeth had seen before, was awaiting them in the front yard when they emerged from the house, pulling on their cloaks.

"It's good Dad can get us these again," said Weasley appreciatively, stretching luxuriously as the car moved smoothly away from the Burrow, Bill and Fleur waving from the kitchen window. He, Harry, Granger, Elizabeth, and Ginny were all sitting in roomy comfort in the wide backseat.

"Don't get used to it, it's only because of Harry," said Mr. Weasley over his shoulder.

He and Mrs. Weasley were in front with the Ministry driver; the front passenger seat had obligingly stretched into what resembled a two-seater sofa. "He's been given top-grade security status. And we'll be joining up with additional security at the Leaky Cauldron too."

No one said anything.

"Here you are, then," said the driver, a surprisingly short while later, speaking for the first time as he slowed in Charing Cross Road and stopped outside the Leaky Cauldron. "I'm to wait for you, any idea how long you'll be?"

"A couple of hours, I expect," said Mr. Weasley. He looked outside the window "Ah, good, he's here!"

Elizabeth glanced outside and saw Professor Hagrid as well as a huge, black dog…Sirius Black, if she remembered correctly.

"Harry!" Hagrid boomed, sweeping Harry into a bone-crushing hug the moment Harry had stepped out of the car. "Buckbeak… Witherwings, I mean… yeh should see him, Harry, he's so happy ter be back in the open air…"

"Glad he's pleased," said Harry, grinning as he massaged his ribs. "We didn't know 'security' meant you!"

"I know, jus' like old times, innit? See, the Ministry wanted ter send a bunch o' Aurors, but Dumbledore said I'd do," said Hagrid proudly, throwing out his chest and tucking his thumbs into his pockets. "Let's get goin' then… after yeh, Molly, Arthur…"

Sirius Black padded after Harry, barking. Sometimes, he would run between Elizabeth and Harry.

The Leaky Cauldron was, for the first time in Elizabeth's memory, completely empty. Only Tom the landlord, wizened and toothless, remained of the old crowd. He looked up hopefully as they entered, but before he could speak, Hagrid said importantly, "Jus' passin' through today, Tom, sure yeh understand, Hogwarts business, yeh know."

Tom nodded gloomily and returned to wiping glasses; Harry, Hermione, Hagrid, Elizabeth, Sirius Black, and the Weasleys walked through the bar and out into the chilly little courtyard at the back where the dustbins stood. Hagrid raised his pink umbrella and rapped a certain brick in the wall, which opened at once to form an archway onto a winding cobbled street. They stepped through the entrance and paused, looking around.

Diagon Alley had changed. The colourful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them. Most of these sombre purple posters carried blown-up versions of the security advice on the Ministry pamphlets that had been sent out over the summer, but others bore moving black-and-white photographs of Death Eaters known to be on the loose. Bellatrix Lestrange was sneering from the front of the nearest apothecary. A few windows were boarded up, including those of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. On the other hand, a number of shabby-looking stalls had sprung up along the street.

The nearest one, which had been erected outside Flourish and Blotts, under a striped, stained awning, had a cardboard sign pinned to its front:

AMULETS

Effective Against Werewolves, Dementors, and Inferi!

A seedy-looking little wizard was rattling armfuls of silver symbols on chains at passersby.

"One for your little girl, madam?" he called at Mrs. Weasley as they passed, leering at Ginny. "Protect her pretty neck?"

Elizabeth snarled at the wizard. Mr. Weasley seemed to have the same feelings.

"If I were on duty…" said Mr. Weasley, glaring angrily at the amulet seller.

"Yes, but don't go arresting anyone now, dear, we're in a hurry," said Mrs. Weasley, nervously consulting a list. "I think we'd better do Madam Malkin's first, Hermione wants new dress robes, and Ron's showing much too much ankle in his school robes, and you must need new ones too, Harry, you've grown so much…You as well, Elizabeth…come on, everyone…"

"Molly, it doesn't make sense for all of us to go to Madam Malkin's," said Mr. Weasley. "Why don't those four go with Hagrid, and we can go to Flourish and Blotts and get everyone's school-books?"

"I don't know," said Mrs. Weasley anxiously, clearly torn between a desire to finish the shopping quickly and the wish to stick together in a pack.

"Hagrid, do you think —?"

"Don't fret, they'll be fine with me, Molly," said Hagrid soothingly, waving an airy hand the size of a dustbin lid. Mrs. Weasley did not look entirely convinced, but allowed the separation, scurrying off toward Flourish and Blotts with her husband and Ginny while Harry, Weasley, Granger, Elizabeth, and Hagrid set off for Madam Malkin's.

Elizabeth noticed that many of the people who passed them had the same harried, anxious look as Mrs. Weasley, and that nobody was stopping to talk anymore; the shoppers stayed together in their own tightly knit groups, moving intently about their business. Nobody seemed to be shopping alone. It seemed to be dark times. Everyone was worried and afraid for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Elizabeth frowned. She really hated Voldemort.

"Migh' be a bit of a squeeze in there with all of us," said Hagrid, stopping outside Madam Malkin's and bending down to peer through the window. "I'll stand guard outside, all right?"

So Harry, Weasley, Elizabeth, and Hermione entered the little shop together. It appeared, at first glance, to be empty, but no sooner had the door swung shut behind them than they heard a familiar voice issuing from behind a rack of dress robes in spangled green and blue.

"… not a child, in case you haven't noticed, Mother. I am perfectly capable of doing my shopping alone."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. Malfoy.

There was a clucking noise and a voice Elizabeth recognized as that of Madam Malkin, the owner, said, "Now, dear, your mother's quite right, none of us is supposed to go wandering around on our own anymore, it's nothing to do with being a child…"

"Watch where you're sticking that pin, will you!"

A teenage boy with a pale, pointed face and white-blond hair appeared from behind the rack, wearing a handsome set of dark green robes that glittered with pins around the hem and the edges of the sleeves. He strode to the mirror and examined himself; it was a few moments before he noticed Harry, Weasley, and Granger reflected over his shoulder. His light gray eyes narrowed.

"If you're wondering what the smell is, Mother, a Mudblood just walked in," said Draco Malfoy.

Elizabeth growled.

"I don't think there's any need for language like that!" said Madam Malkin, scurrying out from behind the clothes rack holding a tape measure and a wand. "And I don't want wands drawn in my shop either!" she added hastily, for a glance toward the door had shown her Harry, Elizabeth, and Weasley both standing there with their wands out and pointing at Malfoy. Granger, who was standing slightly behind them, whispered, "No, don't, honestly, it's not worth it."

"Yeah, like you'd dare do magic out of school," sneered Malfoy. "Who blacked your eye, Granger? I want to send them flowers."

"Who made you look like an ugly git, Malfoy?" taunted Elizabeth. "Because they really deserve an Order of Merlin for that."

"That's quite enough!" said Madam Malkin sharply, looking over her shoulder for support. "Madam, please!"

Narcissa Malfoy strolled out from behind the clothes rack.

"Put those away," she said coldly to Harry, Elizabeth, and Weasley. "If you attack my son again, I shall ensure that it is the last thing you ever do."

"Really?" said Harry, taking a step forward and gazing into the smoothly arrogant face that, for all its pallor, still resembled her sister's. He was as tall as she was now. "Going to get a few Death Eater pals to do us in, are you?"

"Oh, no, Mrs. Malfoy is purely capable in her own right," Elizabeth said. "She, after all, was a Black."

Madam Malkin squealed and clutched at her heart.

"Really, you shouldn't accuse… dangerous thing to say… wands away, please!"

But no one lowered their wands. Narcissa Malfoy smiled unpleasantly.

"I see that being Dumbledore's favourite has given you a false sense of security, Harry Potter. But Dumbledore won't always be there to protect you."

Harry looked mockingly all around the shop. "Wow… look at that… he's not here now! So why not have a go? They might be able to find you a double cell in Azkaban with your loser of a husband!"

Malfoy made an angry movement toward Harry, but stumbled over his overlong robe. Weasley laughed loudly.

"Don't you dare talk to my mother like that, Potter!" Malfoy snarled.

"It's all right, Draco," said Narcissa, restraining him with her thin white fingers upon his shoulder. "I expect that Potter will be reunited with his parents before I am reunited with Lucius."

Harry raised his wand higher.

"Harry, no!" moaned Granger, grabbing his arm and attempting to push it down by his side. "Think… You mustn't… You'll be in such trouble…"

Madam Malkin dithered for a moment on the spot, then seemed to decide to act as though nothing was happening in the hope that it wouldn't. She bent toward Malfoy, who was still glaring at Harry.

"I think this left sleeve could come up a little bit more, dear, let me just…"

"Ouch!" bellowed Malfoy, slapping her hand away. Elizabeth frowned. Something wasn't right there… "Watch where you're putting your pins, woman! Mother, I don't think I want these anymore."

He pulled the robes over his head and threw them onto the floor at Madam Malkin's feet.

"You're right, Draco," said Narcissa, with a contemptuous glance at Granger, "now I know the kind of scum that shops here… We'll do better at Twilfitt and Tatting's."

"Perhaps you should do better to just stay at your own house," said Elizabeth coolly.

Narcissa smiled unpleasantly at Elizabeth. "How is your dear father anyways? Not in any…trouble, I hope?"

Elizabeth smiled back at Narcissa, just as unpleasantly. "He is doing fine, thank you."

"Perhaps not for long," said Narcissa.

And with that, the pair of them strode out of the shop, Malfoy taking care to bang as hard as he could into Weasley on the way out.

Elizabeth frowned. Was that an actual threat or just a tactic to make Elizabeth nervous? She made a mental note to be careful anyways.

"Got ev'rything?" asked Hagrid brightly when they reappeared at his side.

"Just about," said Harry. "Did you see the Malfoys?"

"Yeah," said Hagrid, unconcerned. "Bu they wouldn' dare make trouble in the middle o' Diagon Alley, Harry. Don' worry about them."

Harry, Weasley, and Granger exchanged looks and Elizabeth had sighed, but before they could disabuse Hagrid of this comfortable notion, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny appeared, all clutching heavy packages of books.

"Everyone all right?" said Mrs. Weasley. "Got your robes? Right then, we can pop in at the Apothecary and Eeylops on the way to Fred and George's… stick close, now…"

Neither Harry nor Ron bought any ingredients at the Apothecary, but both bought large boxes of owl nuts for Hedwig and Pigwidgeon at Eeylops Owl Emporium. Then, with Mrs. Weasley checking her watch every minute or so, they headed farther along the street in search of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the joke shop run by the Weasley twins.

"We really haven't got too long," Mrs. Weasley said. "So we'll just have a quick look around and then back to the car. We must be close, that's number ninety-two… ninety-four…"

"Whoa," said Weasley, stopping in his tracks.

Set against the dull, poster-muffled shop Fronts around them, the Weasley twins' windows hit the eye like a firework display.

Casual passersby were looking back over their shoulders at the windows, and a few rather stunned-looking people had actually come to a halt, transfixed. The left-hand window was dazzlingly full of an assortment of goods that revolved, popped, flashed, bounced, and shrieked; Elizabeth's eyes began to water just looking at it. The right-hand window was covered with a gigantic poster, purple like those of the Ministry, but emblazoned with flashing yellow letters:

WHY ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT

YOU-KNOW-WHO?

YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT

U-NO-POO —

THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION

THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!

Elizabeth and Harry started to laugh. She heard a weak sort of moan beside her and looked around to see Mrs. Weasley gazing, dumbfounded, at the poster. Her lips moved silently, mouthing the name "U-No-Poo."

"They'll be murdered in their beds!" she whispered.

"No they won't!" said Weasley, who, like Harry and Elizabeth, was laughing. "This is brilliant!"

And he, Elizabeth, and Harry led the way into the shop. It was packed with customers; Elizabeth could not get near the shelves. She stared around, looking up at the boxes piled to the ceiling: Here were the Skiving Snackboxes that the twins had perfected during their last, unfinished year at Hogwarts; Elizabeth noticed that the Nosebleed Nougat was most popular, with only one battered box left on the shelf. There were bins full of trick wands, the cheapest merely turning into rubber chickens or pairs of briefs when waved, the most expensive beating the unwary user around the head and neck, and boxes of quills, which came in Self-Inking, Spell-Checking, and Smart-Answer varieties. To be honest, Elizabeth didn't really trust them.

A space cleared in the crowd, and Elizabeth and Harry pushed their way toward the counter, where a gaggle of delighted ten-year-olds was watching a tiny little wooden man slowly ascending the steps to a real set of gallows, both perched on a box that read: Reusable hangman - spell it or he'll swing!

"'Patented Daydream Charms…'"

Granger had managed to squeeze through to a large display near the counter and was reading the information on the back of a box bearing a highly coloured picture of a handsome youth and a swooning girl who were standing on the deck of a pirate ship.

"'One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic, thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens.' "You know," said Granger, looking up at Harry, "that really is extraordinary magic!"

"For that, Hermione," said a voice behind them, "you can have one for free."

Elizabeth nearly pouted. Granger had all the luck.

One of the beaming twins stood before them, wearing a set of magenta robes that clashed magnificently with his flaming hair.

"How are you, Harry?" They shook hands. "And what's happened to your eye, Hermione?"

"Your punching telescope," she said ruefully.

"Oh blimey, I forgot about those," said the twin. "Here —"

He pulled a tub out of his pocket and handed it to her; she unscrewed it gingerly to reveal a thick yellow paste.

"Just dab it on, that bruise'll be gone within the hour," said the same twin. George, maybe? Perhaps Fred? "We had to find a decent bruise remover. We're testing most of our products on ourselves."

Granger looked nervous. "It is safe, isn't it?" she asked.

Very careful of Granger…So, very Slytherin of her.

"Course it is," said the twin bracingly. "Come on, Harry, I'll give you a tour."

The twin and Harry left together. Elizabeth helped Granger put the paste on her eye. Soon, Ginny caught up to them. Granger and Ginny continued to look over the Patented Daydreams Charms. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Although they were probably very handy, Elizabeth found it easy to slip into a daydream. Plus, she was also able to play music in her head, which was really helpful since CD players didn't exactly work at Hogwarts.

Without even noticing, accidentally slipping into a daydream herself, one of the twins, perhaps the same one as earlier, and Harry walked up to the three of them.

"Haven't you girls found our special WonderWitch products yet?" asked one of the twins. "Follow me, ladies…"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. This should be…interesting.

Near the window was an array of violently pink products around which a cluster of excited girls was giggling enthusiastically. Granger, Elizabeth, and Ginny both hung back, looking wary.

"There you go," said one of the twins proudly. "Best range of love potions you'll find anywhere."

Yeah, she thought so.

Ginny raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Do they work?" she asked.

…Oh, come on Ginny. She had better be asking because she was just curious, not because she wanted to use them…

"Certainly they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a time depending on the weight of the boy in question…"

"… and the attractiveness of the girl," said the other twin, reappearing suddenly at their side. "But we're not selling them to our sister," he added, becoming suddenly stern, "not when she's already got about five boys on the go from what we've…"

"Whatever you've heard from Ron is a big fat lie," said Ginny calmly, leaning forward to take a small pink pot off the shelf. "What's this?"

"Guaranteed ten-second pimple vanisher," said one of the twins. "Excellent on everything from boils to blackheads, but don't change the subject. Are you or are you not currently going out with a boy called Dean Thomas?"

"Yes, I am," said Ginny. "And last time I looked, he was definitely one boy, not five. What are those?"

She was pointing at a number of round balls of fluff in shades of pink and purple, all rolling around the bottom of a cage and emitting high-pitched squeaks.

"Pygmy Puffs," said one of the twins. "Miniature puffskeins, we can't breed them fast enough. So what about Michael Corner?"

"I dumped him, he was a bad loser," said Ginny, putting a finger through the bars of the cage and watching the Pygmy Puffs crowd around it. "They're really cute!"

"They're fairly cuddly, yes," conceded one of the twins. "But you're moving through boyfriends a bit fast, aren't you?"

Elizabeth nearly sighed.

Ginny turned to look at him, her hands on her hips.

"It's none of your business. And I'll thank you'' she added angrily to Weasley, who had just appeared at one of the twin's elbow, laden with merchandise, "not to tell tales about me to these two!"

"That's three Galleons, nine Sickles, and a Knut," said one of the twins, examining the many boxes in Weasley's arms. "Cough up."

"I'm your brother!"

"And that's our stuff you're nicking. Three Galleons, nine Sickles. I'll knock off the Knut."

"But I haven't got three Galleons, nine Sickles!"

"You'd better put it back then, and mind you put it on the right shelves."

Damn, how heartless.

Weasley dropped several boxes, swore, and made a rude hand gesture at one of the twins that was unfortunately spotted by Mrs. Weasley, who had chosen that moment to appear.

"If I see you do that again I'll jinx your fingers together," she said sharply.

"Mum, can I have a Pygmy Puff?" said Ginny at once.

"A what?" said Mrs. Weasley warily.

"Look, they're so sweet…"

Mrs. Weasley moved aside to look at the Pygmy Puffs, and Elizabeth, who was standing right next to them, noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione looking out of the window. She looked as well and scowled. Draco Malfoy was hurrying up the street alone. As he passed Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, he glanced over his shoulder. Seconds later, he moved beyond the scope of the window and they lost sight of him.

"Wonder where his mummy is?" said Harry, frowning.

"Given her the slip by the looks of it," said Weasley.

"Why, though?" said Granger.

It seemed that they were in their 'trio mode' in which case they completely forgot about their surroundings and tried to figure out a problem. Although Elizabeth had barely seen this before, other students were calling these moments 'trio mode' around the school. So far, the 'Golden Trio', as people so wisely named them, hadn't noticed. Still, Elizabeth had to admit she was curious. Why would Malfoy leave his mother behind? After all, his mother was bound to be overprotective of Malfoy, especially after Lucius Malfoy being sent to Azkaban.

She noticed Harry glancing around. He caught her eye and frowned. Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"I expect information," Elizabeth said lowly, making sure that only Harry could hear her.

Harry nodded and out of his bag, he pulled out…a cloak?

"Get under here, quick," said Harry.

"Oh — I don't know, Harry," said Granger, looking uncertainly toward Mrs. Weasley.

"Come on," said Weasley.

She hesitated for a second longer and then ducked under the cloak with Harry and Weasley.

After the door had closed, that was _surreal_, Mrs. Weasley had turned around and frowned.

"Where's Harry, Ron, and Hermione?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"They went to the back room," answered Elizabeth easily. "They told me to tell you if I was going to go look around the shop."

Mrs. Weasley frowned. "Well…alright. Go ahead and look around, dear."

Elizabeth smiled politely at Mrs. Weasley. "Thank you very much."

Leaving Ginny with her mother, Elizabeth moved around the shop. After Harry, Granger, and Weasley returned, luckily stating that they went into the back room and after Elizabeth bought some of the shield clothing (the shield cloak, hat, and gloves), as well as Instant Darkness Powder, they left Diagon Alley.

**A/N: This chapter is a long one. I was thinking that I should split it into two parts, but then I was like, "Nah…" Yes, I do realize that the bruises were never mentioned again. Harry decided not to ask and Elizabeth wasn't going to ask unless asked first (of course, that may change later, when she gets curious or worried enough). And what happened to Padfoot? He stayed outside with Hagrid. They didn't think having Padfoot go inside was a good idea. And yes, Elizabeth was told this information between chapters, whenever the next chapter pertaining what happened in the shop is mentioned. Not sure when that'll be. Alright, thanks for reading. :) Also, guys, I write the author notes after I finish righting the chapter. xD**


	12. Dementors: Second Year

_Dementors: Second Year_

Elizabeth yawned. She and Luna were the only ones in their compartment. They had been talking about their summer for most of the journey, but then Luna started to read the Quibbler and Elizabeth had fallen asleep. Elizabeth was a very light sleeper, which is why she woke up fairly easily. So, when the train had started to slow down, Elizabeth had startled awake.

Luna looked up from her magazine, unperturbed. Elizabeth frowned.

"We shouldn't be stopping," said Elizabeth.

"Perhaps the Wrackspurts have something to do with it," said Luna.

"Perhaps," Elizabeth said dubiously.

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Elizabeth, who was nearer to the door, stuck her head into the corridor, noticing that many students were doing the same.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness. Elizabeth immediately shut the door and sat inside.

"Hmmm, I can't read the Quibbler now," said Luna sadly.

"Lumos," Elizabeth whispered. Her wand alighted.

Luna smiled happily. "Thank you, Elizabeth!"

"No problem," Elizabeth said in return, before frowning. Why would the train have a need to stop? Although Elizabeth had only joined Hogwarts last year, she was sure that the stopping of the train had never happened before. Then again, her father had told her about how Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and that the ministry was making Dumbledore bring Dementors to the castle. When inquired about what a Dementor was, her father had only shivered and said that she would know and for her not to look them up. Worried, Elizabeth agreed. Perhaps the Dementors were boarding the train?

The door slid slowly open. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by Elizabeth's wand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Elizabeth's eyes darted downward, and she grew worried. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Elizabeth's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Elizabeth felt her own breath catch in her chest. Suddenly, memories of that day were brought into mind.

_"Wake up, please…! Please wake up…Please wake up…C'mon wake up…!" _

She barely noticed Luna curling up into a ball, shivering and crying, murmuring something that sounded suspiciously of 'mum'.

After a few moments, but what felt like several hours, the cloaked being closed the door and continued on.

Elizabeth slowly started to feel warmth come back into her body. She was severely shaking and just realized that she had been crying. However, Luna was still curled up. Ignoring her own problems, Elizabeth stumbled to Luna and rubbed her back, standing over her.

"Shh…it's okay…" she said quietly, not knowing if anything she was doing was helping at all. She wasn't exactly the best at comforting people-hurting people, the more like it.

Luna continued to cry, not loudly, but not completely silently either.

Suddenly, the door opened and Elizabeth was worried that another cloaked figure, which had to be a Dementor, was coming into the compartment, but it was only an adult. His clothes were fairly shabby and he seemed to be extremely tired, but his eyes were sharp. The adult's eyes swept through the room and noticed both Elizabeth and Luna, both shaking and both still crying.

"A Dementor was in here?" asked the adult.

Elizabeth nodded, still rubbing Luna's back and muttering kind words, ignoring the fact that her hands were shaking violently and her legs felt so weak that she was amazed she hadn't collapsed.

The adult took chocolate from his pocket and broke two pieces for Luna and Elizabeth. "Here, eat this. It'll make you feel better."

Elizabeth, taking hers with her free hand, was about to bite into it, but stared suspiciously at the adult.

The adult, noticing the look, chuckled. "I haven't poisoned it."

Elizabeth doubted that even if the adult _had _poisoned it, he wouldn't say so, but still bit into it. Immediately, she felt warmth spread throughout her body. Her legs still felt a bit wobbly, but her hands had stopped shaking. She noticed Luna biting into her chocolate as well, her tears subsiding.

"Do you guys need any more help?" asked the adult.

"No thank you," Elizabeth said politely, glad for the chocolate. "What is your name, sir?"

"Professor Lupin," answered the man.

Elizabeth smiled politely at Professor Lupin. "Thank you for the chocolate, Professor."

Professor Lupin nodded and closed the door, undoubtedly going to hand out chocolate for the other kids.

"Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked Luna, who had stopped crying.

Luna nodded. "I am okay now. What about yourself?"

"I am…fine," Elizabeth said finally. It was a lie.

Luna stared at Elizabeth, obviously catching her in the lie. However, she didn't say anything and continued to read the Quibbler to get a sense of normality.

As Elizabeth looked outside the window, she understood why her father had paled when he heard about the Dementors. Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder what her father had seen.

**A/N: I'm not sure of the Dementor would leave, but I feel that if the Dementor was able to have other students' fears, it would move on. I would also think that Lupin would go into each compartment to make sure all of the students were alright. Alright, thanks for reading. :)**


	13. Hogwarts Express & Slug Club: Fifth Year

_Hogwarts Express & Slug Club: Fifth Year_

After boarding the Hogwarts's Express, Granger and Weasley went to the Prefects' carriage. Elizabeth noticed that Harry was still talking to Mr. Weasley, perhaps about Malfoy. Elizabeth had been invited into their 'trio mode' meetings, if only because she knew Malfoy better than the three of them due to living in the same house with him for four years, and Harry had asked for Elizabeth's opinion. Elizabeth felt that Harry was right, but Granger and Weasley, surprisingly, disagreed.

Harry managed to board the train on time and walked up to Elizabeth and Ginny. Elizabeth was hanging back slightly, making sure not to be near Ginny's conversation. All of Ginny's friends, except for Luna, disliked Elizabeth, so as long as they didn't talk to each other, they could at least stand being in the same area as each other.

"Fancy trying to find a compartment?" Harry asked Ginny and Elizabeth.

"I can't, Harry, I said I'd meet Dean," said Ginny brightly. "See you later."

"Right," Harry said, sounding slightly annoyed. Curious…

Elizabeth nodded. "See you later, Ginny."

Ginny left to see her boyfriend. Elizabeth saw Harry looking around and seemingly to be nervous. It seemed that Harry finally noticed the fangirls. Merlin, couldn't girls spend their time better than staring at a 'cute guy' and drool?

"Hi, Harry!" said a familiar voice from behind them. "Elizabeth!"

Both of them turned around to see Longbottom behind them. Harry looked relieved.

"Neville," said Harry.

"Longbottom," said Elizabeth, nodding.

Longbottom grinned at Elizabeth. "Call me Neville, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth blinked, before smiling. "Alright, Neville."

"Hello, Elizabeth, Harry," said Luna behind Neville.

"Luna, hi, how are you?" asked Elizabeth.

"Very well, thank you," said Luna. She was clutching a magazine to her chest; large letters on the front announced that there was a pair of free Spectrespecs inside.

"Quibbler still going strong, then?" asked Harry.

"Oh yes, circulation's well up," said Luna happily.

"Let's find seats," said Harry, and the four of them set off along the train through hordes of silently staring students. At last they found an empty compartment, and Harry hurried inside gratefully.

"They're even staring at us," said Neville, indicating himself, Elizabeth, and Luna, "because we're with you!"

"They're staring at you because you were at the Ministry too," said Harry, as he hoisted his trunk into the luggage rack. "Our little adventure there was all over the Daily Prophet, you must've seen it."

"Yes, I thought Gran would be angry about all the publicity," said Neville, "but she was really pleased. Says I'm starting to live up to my dad at long last. She bought me a new wand, look!"

He pulled it out and showed it to Harry.

"Cherry and unicorn hair," he said proudly. "We think it was one of the last Ollivander ever sold, he vanished next day… oy, come back here, Trevor!"

And he dived under the seat to retrieve his toad as it made one of its famous and frequent bids for freedom.

"Are we still doing D.A. meetings this year, Harry?" asked Luna, who was detaching a pair of psychedelic spectacles from the middle of The Quibbler.

"No point now we've got rid of Umbridge, is there?" said Harry, sitting down.

"That doesn't mean we should stop," said Elizabeth. "After all, since Voldemort is going to be more in the open, perhaps we could use the D.A. as a practice. Perhaps we could even open it up to most of the school who wants to join, including Slytherins who are brave enough to openly go against Voldemort, you know, make it an actual club."

Harry looked thoughtful. "I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore about that."

Suddenly, there was a disturbance outside their compartment door; a group of fourth-year girls was whispering and giggling together on the other side of the glass. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Fangirls.

"You ask him!"

"No, you!"

"I'll do it!"

And one of them, a bold-looking girl with large dark eyes, a prominent chin, and long black hair pushed her way through the door.

"Hi, Harry, I'm Romilda, Romilda Vane," she said loudly and confidently. "Why don't you join us in our compartment? You don't have to sit with them," she added in a stage whisper, indicating Neville's bottom, which was sticking out from under the seat again as he groped around for Trevor; Elizabeth, who was currently rolling her eyes at the arrogance of Vane; and Luna, who was now wearing her free Spectrespecs, which gave her the look of a demented, multicoloured owl.

"They're friends of mine," said Harry coldly.

"Oh," said the girl, looking very surprised. "Oh. Okay."

And she withdrew, sliding the door closed behind her.

"People expect you to have cooler friends than us," said Luna, displaying her refreshing knack for embarrassing honesty. They were quite similar in that way, Elizabeth and Luna. Both spoke it as it is.

"You are cool," said Harry shortly. "None of them was at the Ministry. They didn't fight with me."

"That's a very nice thing to say," beamed Luna. Then she pushed her Spectrespecs farther up her nose and settled down to read The Quibbler.

"We didn't face him, though," said Neville, emerging from under the seat with fluff and dust in his hair and a resigned-looking Trevor in his hand. "You did. You should hear my gran talk about you. 'That Harry Potter's got more backbone than the whole Ministry of Magic put together!' She'd give anything to have you as a grandson…"

"I wasn't the only one there," Harry said, looking at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "I was ignored heavily by Voldemort in place of you. I might as well have been a spectator. Not that I'm complaining, though."

Harry laughed and changed the conversation to OWLs. As Neville and Harry spoke about OWLs, Elizabeth stared out the window, and Luna continued reading the Quibbler.

The weather beyond the train windows was as patchy as it had been all summer; they passed through stretches of the chilling mist, then out into weak, clear sunlight. It was during one of the clear spells, when the sun was visible almost directly overhead, that Weasley and Granger entered the compartment at last.

"Wish the lunch trolley would hurry up, I'm starving," said Weasley longingly, slumping into the seat beside Harry and rubbing his stomach. "Hi, Neville. Hi, Luna. Hi, Moreau. Guess what?" he added, turning to Harry. "Malfoy is not doing prefect duty. He's just sitting in his compartment with the other Slytherins, we saw him when we passed."

Harry sat up straight. Elizabeth broke out of her daydreams in order to listen.

"What did he do when he saw you?" Harry asked.

"The usual," said Weasley indifferently, demonstrating a rude hand gesture. "Not like him, though, is it? Well… that is"— he did the hand gesture again — "but why isn't he out there bullying first years?"

"Dunno," said Harry.

"Maybe he preferred the Inquisitorial Squad," said Granger. "Maybe being a prefect seems a bit tame after that."

"I don't think so," said Harry. "I think he's —"

But before he could expound on his statement, the compartment door slid open again and a breathless third-year girl stepped inside.

"I'm supposed to deliver these to Neville Longbottom, Elizabeth Burke, and Harry P-Potter," she faltered, as her eyes met Harry's and she turned scarlet. She was holding out three scrolls of parchment tied with violet ribbon. Perplexed, Harry, Elizabeth, and Neville took the scroll addressed to each of them and the girl stumbled back out of the compartment.

Elizabeth scowled. She knew it, she knew that when her father's last name would go out, she would be referred to as 'Elizabeth Burke' by a few teachers now.

"What is it?" Weasley demanded, as Harry unrolled his.

"An invitation," said Harry.

Elizabeth unrolled hers and read.

_Miss Elizabeth Burke,_

_I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C._

_Sincerely,_

_Professor H. E. F. Slughorn_

"But what does he want me for?" asked Neville nervously, as though he was expecting detention.

"Professor Slughorn is famous in Slytherin for collecting students into his 'Slug Club'," Elizabeth stated. "He probably wants you to join."

"Why would he want me to join?" asked Neville.

"He likes to collect students who have family members that are famous in society or that are famous in their own right," stated Elizabeth. "I'm invited because my father is a Burke and Black on his mother's side. Harry's invited since he's the Boy-Who-Lived. I'm going to assume that you are invited because of either your grandmother or your parents or both."

"I didn't know that Professor Slughorn was famous!" exclaimed Granger, eyes widening.

"In the Slytherin house," said Elizabeth simply. "He used to be the head of Slytherin when he taught at Hogwarts."

Neville frowned at his letter.

"Listen," Harry added, seized by a sudden brain wave, "let's go under the Invisibility Cloak, then we might get a good look at Malfoy on the way, see what he's up to."

"The three of us in that cloak?" asked Elizabeth. "Yeah, we are _all _going to fit for sure."

Either way, they couldn't exactly go under the Invisibility Cloak. The corridors, which were packed with people on the lookout for the lunch trolley, were impossible to negotiate while wearing the cloak. Harry stowed it back in his bag. Every now and then, students would hurtle out of their compartments to get a better look at him. The exception was Cho Chang, who darted into her compartment when she saw Harry coming.

When they reached compartment C, they saw at once that they were not Professor Slughorn's only invitees, although judging by the enthusiasm of Professor Slughorn's welcome, Harry was the most warmly anticipated, obviously.

"Harry, m'boy!" said Professor Slughorn, jumping up at the sight of him so that his great velvet-covered belly seemed to fill all the remaining space in the compartment. His shiny bald head and great silvery moustache gleamed as brightly in the sunlight as the golden buttons on his waistcoat. He looked just like the portraits in the common room. "Good to see you, good to see you! And you must be Mr. Longbottom! And Miss Burke! How pleasant to see you!"

Neville nodded, looking scared. Elizabeth smiled politely, deciding to correct Professor Slughorn, just yet. At a gesture from Professor Slughorn, Harry and Neville sat down opposite each other in the only two empty seats, which were nearest the door, while Elizabeth stood by the window. Elizabeth glanced around at their fellow guests. She recognized Blaise Zabini from her house and there were also two seventh-year boys Elizabeth did not know and, squashed in the corner beside Professor Slughorn and looking as though she was not entirely sure how she had got there, Ginny. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at Ginny who shrugged.

"Now, do you know everyone?" Professor Slughorn asked Harry, Elizabeth, and Neville. "Blaise Zabini is in your year-" in reference to Neville and Harry, "-and your house-" in reference to Elizabeth, "of course —"

Blaise did not make any sign of recognition or greeting to Harry or Neville, nor did Harry or Neville: Gryffindor and Slytherin students loathed each other on principle. Blaise, however, did nod in Elizabeth's direction. Blaise was one of the few Slytherins, along with the Greengrass sisters, that tolerated muggleborns, although they kept up appearances in the house. Elizabeth nodded back.

"This is Cormac McLaggen, perhaps you've come across each other —? No?"

McLaggen, a large, wiry-haired youth, raised a hand, and Harry and Neville nodded back at him. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. McLaggen seemed to be ignoring her. Then again, she _was _a Slytherin.

"—and this is Marcus Belby, I don't know whether —?"

Belby, who was thin and nervous-looking, gave a strained smile.

"— and this charming young lady tells me she knows you!" Professor Slughorn finished.

Ginny grimaced at Harry, Elizabeth, and Neville from behind Professor Slughorn's back.

"Well now, this is most pleasant," said Professor Slughorn cosily. "A chance to get to know you all a little better. Here, take a napkin. I've packed my own lunch; the trolley, as I remember it, is heavy on liquorice wands, and a poor old man's digestive system isn't quite up to such things… Pheasant, Belby?"

Belby started and accepted what looked like half a cold pheasant.

"I was just telling young Marcus here that I had the pleasure of teaching his Uncle Damocles," Professor Slughorn told Harry and Neville, now passing around a basket of rolls. "Outstanding wizard, outstanding, and his Order of Merlin most well-deserved. Do you see much of your uncle, Marcus?"

Unfortunately, Belby had just taken a large mouthful of pheasant; in his haste to answer Slughorn he swallowed too fast, turned purple, and began to choke.

"Anapneo," said Professor Slughorn calmly, pointing his wand at Belby, whose airway seemed to clear at once. Elizabeth made a note to remember that spell.

"Not… not much of him, no," gasped Belby, his eyes streaming.

"Well, of course, I daresay he's busy," said Professor Slughorn, looking questioningly at Belby. "I doubt he invented the Wolfsbane Potion without considerable hard work!"

"I suppose…" said Belby, who seemed afraid to take another bite of pheasant until he was sure that Professor Slughorn had finished with him. "Er… he and my dad don't get on very well, you see, so I don't really know much about…"

His voice tailed away as Professor Slughorn gave him a cold smile and turned to McLaggen instead. Ah, Belby was rejected.

"Now, you, Cormac," said Professor Slughorn, "I happen to know you see a lot of your Uncle Tiberius, because he has a rather splendid picture of the two of you hunting nogtails in, I think, Norfolk?"

"Oh, yeah, that was fun, that was," said McLaggen. "We went with Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeour; this was before he became Minister, obviously —"

Well, didn't McLaggen know how to play the game?

"Ah, you know Bertie and Rufus too?" beamed Professor Slughorn, now offering around a small tray of pies; somehow, Belby was missed out. "Now tell me…"

Elizabeth wondered why Ginny was there. She ignored Blaise's interview, her mother was famous in Slytherin, and Neville's. She had already known that Bellatrix Lestrange had tortured Neville's parents into insanity, Malfoy had talked about it once in the common room, and she knew that Professor Slughorn was waiting to see if Neville was going to be anything 'special'.

"How is your father anyways, Miss Burke?" asked Professor Slughorn, driving Elizabeth out of her thoughts. "I haven't seen him in ages."

Elizabeth smiled politely. "I would prefer 'Miss Moreau', if you would please, Professor. In the wizarding world, I go by my mother's name."

Professor Slughorn smiled back. "I don't mind at all, Miss Moreau! Has your father decided to create another charity event yet?"

Elizabeth's father was famous for his charity events. Everyone bought tickets to his ball and all of the money went to a charity of her father's choice. Once or twice, Elizabeth had chosen the charity. Ever since Elizabeth went to Hogwarts, she had been invited to go to the balls with her mother, although her father didn't talk to Elizabeth or her mother. They had to hold up appearances in public.

"He's planning to host one again for New Year's," said Elizabeth. "I daresay you'll be coming, Professor? Perhaps I can get my father to give you a free ticket."

Professor Slughorn laughed. "No, no, I'd rather buy my tickets. After all, everything does go to charity!

"And now," said Professor Slughorn, shifting massively in his seat with the air of a compeer introducing his star act. "Harry Potter! Where to begin? I feel I barely scratched the surface when we met over the summer!" He contemplated Harry for a moment as though he was a particularly large and succulent piece of pheasant, then said, "'The Chosen One,' they're calling you now!"

Harry said nothing. Belby, McLaggen, and Zabini were all staring at him.

"Of course," said Professor Slughorn, watching Harry closely, "there have been rumours for years… I remember when… well — after that terrible night — Lily — James — and you survived — and the word was that you must have powers beyond the ordinary —"

Blaise gave a tiny little cough that was clearly supposed to indicate amused scepticism. Blaise was a good actor. An angry voice burst out from behind Professor Slughorn.

"Yeah, Zabini, because you're so talented… at posing…"

"Oh dear!" chuckled Professor Slughorn comfortably, looking around at Ginny, who was glaring at Blaise around Professor Slughorn's great belly. "You want to be careful, Blaise! I saw this young lady perform the most marvellous Bat-Bogey Hex as I was passing her carriage! I wouldn't cross her!"

Ah, that was why.

"Anyway," said Professor Slughorn, turning back to Harry. "Such rumours this summer. Of course, one doesn't know what to believe, the Prophet has been known to print inaccuracies, make mistakes — but there seems little doubt, given the number of witnesses, that there was quite a disturbance at the Ministry and that you were there in the thick of it all!"

Harry, who could not see any way out of this without flatly lying, nodded but still said nothing. Professor Slughorn beamed at him.

"So modest, so modest, no wonder Dumbledore is so fond — you were there, then? But the rest of the stories — so sensational, of course, one doesn't know quite what to believe — this fabled prophecy, for instance —"

"We never heard a prophecy," said Neville, turning geranium pink as he said it.

"That's right," said Ginny staunchly. "Neville, Elizabeth, and I were both there too, and all this 'Chosen One' rubbish is just the Prophet making things up as usual."

Ginny looked too genuine for her to be lying on Harry's behalf. So, Harry didn't tell her? Who had he told, then?

"You three were there too, were you?" said Professor Slughorn with great interest, looking from Ginny, Elizabeth, to Neville, but all of them sat clam-like before his encouraging smile.

"Yes… well… it is true that the Prophet often exaggerates, of course…" Professor Slughorn said, sounding a little disappointed. "I remember dear Gwenog telling me (Gwenog Jones, I mean, of course, Captain of the Holyhead Harpies) —"

He meandered off into a long-winded reminiscence, but Elizabeth had the distinct impression that Professor Slughorn had not finished with Harry, and that he had not been convinced by Neville and Ginny.

The afternoon wore on with more anecdotes about illustrious wizards Professor Slughorn had taught, all of whom had been delighted to join the "Slug Club" at Hogwarts. Elizabeth could not wait to leave, but couldn't see how to do so politely.

Finally the train emerged from yet another long misty stretch into a red sunset, and Professor Slughorn looked around, blinking in the twilight.

"Good gracious, it's getting dark already! I didn't notice that they'd lit the lamps! You'd better go and change into your robes, all of you. McLaggen, you must drop by and borrow that book on nogtails. Harry, Blaise — any time you're passing. Same goes for you, miss," he twinkled at Ginny and Elizabeth. "Well, off you go, off you go!"

As he pushed past Harry into the darkening corridor, Blaise shot Harry a filthy look that Harry returned with interest. He, Ginny, Elizabeth, and Neville followed Blaise back along the train.

"I'm glad that's over," muttered Neville. "Strange man, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is a bit," said Harry, his eyes on Blaise. "How come you ended up in there, Ginny?"

"He saw me hex Zacharias Smith," said Ginny. "You remember that idiot from Hufflepuff who was in the D.A.? He kept on and on asking about what happened at the Ministry and in the end he annoyed me so much I hexed him — when Slughorn came in I thought I was going to get detention, but he just thought it was; it really good hex and invited me to lunch! Mad, eh?"

"Better reason for inviting someone than because their mother's famous," said Harry, scowling at the back of Blaise's head, "or because their uncle —"

But then Harry broke off. Elizabeth could see the wheels turning in Harry's head.

"I'll see you three later," said Harry under his breath, pulling out his Invisibility Cloak and flinging it over himself.

"What are you—" asked Neville, before being broken off by Elizabeth.

"I'll wait until you come off the train, just in case," Elizabeth said. "I want the information you gathered!"

"Alright," Harry said quietly, before, Elizabeth assumed, leaving.

"What's that all about?" asked Ginny, turning towards Elizabeth.

"Harry is going into the Slytherin compartment after Blaise," said Elizabeth. "He's going to gather some intelligence."

Neville frowned. "But what if he's found out?"

"That's why I'm going to stay on the train until he leaves," said Elizabeth. "I'll probably stay in the next compartment, just in case."

"Would you like us…?" stated Ginny.

"No," Elizabeth answered. "It's harder for a group of people to sneak around, especially without the Invisibility Cloak. Go on ahead. We'll be fine."

Neville and Ginny went back to their compartments. Elizabeth moved towards the Slytherin compartments. She was still a Slytherin, so it wasn't weird that she went there. She knew where the sixth year compartment was and knew that there were empty compartments surrounding it. The sixth years had always made sure that the compartments near them were empty. Elizabeth entered the empty compartment and listened. If she listened closely, she could hear a few words from the other side.

She heard the compartment doors open and glanced at the window. All of the sixth years were leaving except for Malfoy. Harry must have been found out. Her theory seemed to be accepted when she heard a 'thump'. After Malfoy passed her window, whistling merrily, Elizabeth went into the compartment. It was completely empty, but if Harry was wearing the Invisibility Cloak, it would seem to be.

"Harry?" said Elizabeth out loud. No answer. Perhaps he was stunned. She knew from the thump that he landed on the floor. She started to reach a hand out cautiously, before feeling a fabric underneath her hand. She pulled and the Invisibility Cloak came out of Harry. He looked like a mess: his nose was broken and gushing out blood. His eyes were open, but he didn't move at all. Elizabeth muttered the counter-curse of "Petrificus Totalus" and Harry immediately sat up.

"We need to get moving, the train is about to leave," said Elizabeth.

"What about…?"

"I'm sure Granger, Weasley, Neville, Ginny, and Luna got our things," stated Elizabeth. "Now, come on!"

The two of them ran together out of the platform. It was empty, but there seemed to be one more carriage left. Elizabeth and Harry boarded and the carriage went to the castle.

"Episkey, Terego," said Elizabeth and immediately, Harry's nose righted itself and the dried blood disappeared.

"Thanks," Harry said, feeling his nose.

Elizabeth groaned. "I've just realized; we're still in our muggle attire!"

Harry scowled. "Our houses are going to end up being in the negatives, aren't they?"

"Depends on who catches us," said Elizabeth. "But, never mind that, what did Malfoy say?"

Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully as Harry had told her what he had heard.

"…Do you think by 'he' he meant Voldemort?" Harry asked after he finished.

"It does seem likely," said Elizabeth. "I would love to be able to gather information, but since I'm not going to sleep in the Slytherin dorms anymore…"

"You're what?!"

Ah, perhaps Elizabeth had forgotten to tell someone. Oops.

"Uh, yeah, Dumbledore and I thought it would be dangerous if I slept in the Slytherin dorms," Elizabeth said sheepishly. "So, I'm moving into the Gryffindor dorms. I'm not sure _why_. The next people that I think would attack me would be the Gryffindors."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a Slytherin," Elizabeth said, rolling her eyes. It was obvious. "The carriage is slowing down. This is the moment of truth."

"Whether or not we start the school in negative numbers," Harry said sullenly.

The two looked at each other and laughed.

"Well, I'm glad _someone _is having fun," said a bitter voice from the carriage.

The two of them immediately stopped laughing, and looked at the voice.

"Hello, Professor Snape," said Elizabeth politely.

Professor Snape glared at the two of them. "Get out."

Elizabeth and Harry hurried out of the carriage.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor for lateness, I think," said Professor Snape. "And, let me see, another twenty for your Muggle attire. You know, I don't believe any House has ever been in negative figures this early in the term: We haven't even started pudding. You might have set a record, Potter."

Elizabeth could see Harry getting angry, so she stepped on his foot. Harry glared at Elizabeth. Elizabeth stared sternly back.

"And dragging one of my Slytherins along…Miss Moreau, I am ashamed of you. And I hear you'll be sleeping with the Gryffindors…Make sure not to catch their stupidity…" said Professor Snape.

"Of course, Professor," Elizabeth said.

Harry glared at Elizabeth. Elizabeth shrugged and smirked.

"I suppose you wanted to make an entrance, did you?" Professor Snape continued. "And with no flying car available you decided that bursting into the Great Hall halfway through the feast ought to create a dramatic effect."

Harry stayed silent.

They reached the castle steps at last and as the great oaken front doors swung open into the vast flagged entrance hall, a burst of talk and laughter and of tinkling plates and glasses greeted them through the doors standing open into the Great Hail. Suddenly, Professor Snape said, "No cloak. You can walk in so that everyone sees you, which is what you wanted, I'm sure."

Elizabeth reminded herself to thank Professor Snape for throwing her under the bus.

Harry stormed away from Professor Snape, ignoring the looks thrown his way. While they were still looking at Harry, Elizabeth wished Professor Snape a good evening and followed.

**A/N: And ****_that's _****it. Yes, Harry and Elizabeth were late enough that everyone pretty much got seated, but not enough that they missed the Sorting and that the train started moving. Perhaps it's a bit strange, but, hey, it's my story. :P Thanks for reading. ^^**


	14. Boggart: Second Year

_Boggart: Second Year_

Elizabeth had heard of the not-so-subtle hints that Professor Snape had been dropping about Professor Lupin: saying that he was dangerous, saying that he should be locked up every month; Elizabeth wondered when sly and cunning became a smack in the face. Although she respected Professor Snape's opinion on most things, Elizabeth had concluded by her own observations that Professor Lupin seemed to be a very polite and kind adult. Perhaps he wore shabby clothes, but not everyone could be as rich as the Malfoys. Now _that_ would be scary.

Although she had seen with her own eyes that Professor Lupin seemed to be okay, Elizabeth was still nervous about the Defence Against the Dark Arts class. After all, the first two teachers were 'stuttering Quirrell' and 'bumbling idiot Lockhart'. Elizabeth hoped that Dumbledore hired a competent teacher, for once.

It was Slytherins and Gryffindors together in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin was a bit late when everyone got seated, but when he came into the classroom, he looked healthier.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Todays will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

Elizabeth could only hope that Cornish Pixies wouldn't make an appearance.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.

The staffroom, a long, panelled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there."

Elizabeth had read about Boggarts. They showed someone's worst fears. Most of the students were looking apprehensive. Elizabeth frowned. What was her worst fear? She was okay with insects and animals that would normally gross people out and didn't have a fear of the dark or anything like that. There was nothing specific that Elizabeth could think that was her worst fear.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third and second, which you all are, years some practice.

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, 'What is a Boggart'?"

Elizabeth and a few other students raised their hands.

"Yes, Miss Moreau?" asked Professor Lupin.

"A Boggart will take the shape of whatever someone fears the most," said Elizabeth.

"Correct," stated Professor Lupin. "So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.

"This means," said Professor Lupin, "that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Can anyone tell me what that is?"

There was silence in the classroom. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and raised her hand again.

"Yes, again, Miss Moreau?"

"Because there are so many of us, the Boggart will be confused as to what it would turn into," stated Elizabeth dryly.

"Correct again, Miss Moreau," said Professor Lupin. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening. The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please… Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. Who would like to volunteer first?"

There were a few seconds of silence before a Gryffindor stepped up. Elizabeth didn't know his name, although she had seen him around before.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Creevey," said Professor Lupin cheerfully. Ah, yes, that was it. That photographer. "Now, do you know what you are most afraid of?"

Creevey seemed to regret volunteering first and looked down. He muttered something under his breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"A s-snake," stuttered Creevey.

A few people laughed. Elizabeth frowned. According to quite a lot of rumours, the Slytherin monster from last year was a snake. Well, it was probably obvious that it _would _be a snake as Slytherin was a Parselmouth. Still, Creevey was petrified last year and it if was from the Slytherin's monster, and considering his fear was snakes, it was obvious that it was the monster that he was afraid of. Elizabeth wondered if they all were about to be petrified or worse, killed.

"A very common fear," Professor Lupin said kindly. "Now, can anyone come up with an idea to make a snake funny?"

At once, there seemed to be a rush of voices. "Take away its fangs!" "Make it compressed!" "Cut it in three pieces!"

"Those are only ways to make the snake less dangerous," commented Professor Lupin. "Can anyone think of a way to make a snake amusing?"

There was silence in the classroom.

"You'll find that there are some things that you cannot make amusing," said Professor Lupin gently. "If that happens, you can change it to something that amuses you. What makes you laugh, Mr. Creevey?"

Creevey looked down. "Um, I suppose…"

Professor Lupin interrupted. "Don't tell us; let us see for ourselves. Envision the funny object and keep that thought in your mind. Don't forget to chant 'Riddikulus'. I'm going to let the Boggart out in three…two…one…"

Professor Lupin waved his wand and a snake immediately started slithering out. Creevey began to pale, as did a few students from the class. The snake was huge!

"R-riddikulus!" Creevey stuttered.

Immediately the snake turned into a slinky and moved back and forth. Although the purebloods had no idea on what the slinky was, the half-bloods and the muggle-borns started to laugh.

Professor Lupin, who perhaps wasn't a pureblood, also started to laugh. "Very good, Mr. Creevey! Now, everyone form a line!"

The Gryffindors rushed to go behind Creevey. The Slytherins, including Elizabeth, walked briskly. Elizabeth found herself behind pushed behind a female, red-haired Gryffindor. With so many tall students in front of her, Elizabeth was unable to see her peers facing the Boggart. Soon, the line quickly shortened as everyone finished tackling the Boggart. It was the Gryffindor in front of her next. As she was taller than that Gryffindor she was able to see that her Boggart turned into a (fairly handsome) teen.

"Oh, Harry," mocked the teen in a poor imitation of the Weasley girl. "Why won't you pay attention to me? Tom, I think something's happening!"

The Weasley girl started to shake, dropping her wand. She backed up into Elizabeth. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and, before Professor Lupin could even move, Elizabeth stepped in front of Ginny. Immediately, the teen turned into a young girl. Elizabeth froze. The girl seemed to be very hurt, lying on the floor. There was a deep red everywhere on the girl and surrounding her, the life blood still slowly draining out of her. It was obvious one of her arms and legs were broken from the due to the angle they were in, but the girl didn't seem to feel any pain. From the look on her face, it seemed that she could feel only hatred, and that hatred was directed towards Elizabeth.

"You couldn't help me," said the girl darkly. "Why do you think you can help anyone else? You had powers, but you didn't use them. Why didn't you save me?"

Elizabeth's mind went into overdrive as she pointed her wand at the girl. She didn't even notice how the class grew silent behind her. How could you make something like this funny?

Suddenly, Elizabeth's vision was blocked by a big back; it was Professor Lupin. Immediately, the girl turned into, what she could tell, a silvery orb.

"Riddikulus," said Professor Lupin calmly.

The silvery orb turned into a balloon that flew all around the classroom and, with Professor Lupin's assistance, back to the cabinet.

"Five points to everyone who tackled to Boggart," said Professor Lupin calmly. "Class dismissed. Miss Weasley, Miss Moreau, would you mind staying back?"

The class trickled out, whispering. Elizabeth knew that the Boggarts were going to be a popular topic, one that her peers weren't going to keep secret.

Elizabeth glanced at the Weasley girl, she still looked pale. Professor Lupin walked to his desk and motioned the two girls to follow him. When they reached his desk, Professor Lupin motioned for the girls to sit down in the two chairs in front of his desk. As they sat, Professor Lupin settled down on the other side.

"Would you both like some chocolate?" asked Professor Lupin kindly.

The Weasley girl nodded her head; Elizabeth politely refused.

"Do you both want to talk about?" Professor Lupin asked. "After all, those were very strong fears."

The Weasley girl shook her head. "I-I suppose that I don't want anyone to know my secrets."

"That's understandable," said Professor Lupin. "There are a lot of secrets that everyone doesn't want anyone to know. I, myself, have a few."

And it was probably something that had to do with what Professor Snape was dropping hints about, thought Elizabeth.

"I don't really want to say anything more," said the Weasley girl softly.

Professor Lupin nodded and signed a pass. "For your next teacher."

The Weasley girl took the pass and thanked Professor Lupin. Professor Lupin then looked towards Elizabeth.

"Who was that girl?" asked Professor Lupin quietly.

Elizabeth let out a deep breath and slumped back in her seat. "My best friend."

"What happened?"

"I wasn't paying attention, she paid the consequence for it." Elizabeth closed her eyes.

"Two of my best friends are dead," said Professor Lupin softly. "My other best friend is the one who killed them. It's hard to lose your friends."

"Yeah," Elizabeth said in reply, not knowing what she could say in reply. "May I go now?"

Professor Lupin nodded and wrote down a pass for Elizabeth. Elizabeth took the pass.

"Thank you," said Elizabeth. "And not just for the pass."

Professor Lupin smiled. "If you ever need to talk, my door is always open."

"I might take you up on that offer," stated Elizabeth. "Have a nice day, Professor."

"You as well, Miss Moreau."

Elizabeth walked to the door, but stopped before going through. That silvery orb was the full moon, Professor Snape saying that Professor Lupin was dangerous and that he needed to be locked up every month…She may not have the full picture, but the clues were enough that she could make an accurate guess.

"Is everything alright?" asked Professor Lupin.

Elizabeth turned around and opened her mouth. As she was about to state her theory, she closed her mouth and smiled. "Nothing, Professor Lupin." Just because Professor Lupin was a werewolf didn't mean that he wasn't a good person. If Professor Lupin was as 'evil' as werewolves are supposed to be, he wouldn't have acted with such kindness.

Professor Lupin frowned. "Alright, Miss Moreau. Don't be afraid to tell me anything."

Elizabeth smiled kindly. "I'm not afraid of you, not even on the nights of the full moon."

Leaving Professor Lupin startled, Elizabeth walked outside of the classroom and blinked when she saw the Weasley girl.

"Weasley?" asked Elizabeth.

The Weasley girl smiled. "Call me Ginny, Moreau."

"Then you can call me 'Moreau', Ginny," replied Elizabeth.

Ginny let out a breath. "Thanks, for…you know…"

"It's no problem," said Elizabeth. "We have the same class next, don't we?"

"Yes, Charms," said Ginny.

"Would you like to sit together?" asked Elizabeth.

Ginny smiled. "Alright."

And, thus, the friendship between Ginny and Elizabeth was made.

**A/N: This took me a long time to write for some reason. Professor Lupin does become Elizabeth's confident at the school, so they are close. Oh, and here's a little extra.**

Extra:

Remus stared frozenly at Miss Moreau's back. Did that mean that Miss Moreau knew that he was a werewolf and wasn't afraid or disgusted?

Remus remembered a time where everything was less complicated, where he and his friends were free from the war.

_"It doesn't matter if you're a werewolf," said James. "You're still a friend."_

_"But I could hurt you," Remus protested._

_Sirius shrugged. "If you guys can be friends with me despite my family, we can be friends with you despite your 'furry little problem'."_

_Peter nodded his head._

_Remus smiled. "Thanks…"_

Remus smiled at the memory. Even if Peter and James were dead, even if Black had ended up being a spy for Voldemort, those were still the best times of his life.


	15. Conversations: Fourth Year

_Another Sarcastic Slytherin to Hogwarts_

_Conversations: Fourth Year_

After one of the D.A. meetings, as Elizabeth had been about to leave, Granger and Weasley had asked her to wait until everyone left. Despite being cautious, Elizabeth had agreed. It was just her, Granger, and Weasley.

"What do you want, Granger, Weasley?" asked Elizabeth.

"I don't know what you're trying to do, _Slytherin_," spat Weasley like a curse.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Who says I'm trying to do anything but learn from Potter?"

"It's very curious how you're suddenly friends with Ginny," said Granger.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'suddenly'? I've been friends with Ginny since second year!"

"We've never seen you around," said Granger calmly.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Well, obviously. You guys really only see Ginny in the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall, so it isn't as if I could just go inside your common room or sit next to Ginny during lunch."

"I don't know what you're planning, but whatever it is, if you hurt my sister or Harry, you will be in trouble," threatened Weasley.

"Is that a threat?" asked Elizabeth coolly. "Weasley, you don't scare me."

Granger smiled coldly. "No, but I'm sure that I do."

"You are, perhaps, a threat, but I'm still not scared of you," stated Elizabeth. She crossed her arms. "Where's Potter? Don't you need more than two people to threaten a Slytherin?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" growled Weasley.

"You are, after all, the 'Golden Trio'," said Elizabeth dryly. "It's strange to see one without the others or, like now, two without the other."

Granger and Weasley looked astonished, causing Elizabeth to chuckle.

"Either way, I'm not trying anything," said Elizabeth. "If you hadn't forgotten, I was the one who put the privacy spell on the paper."

"And how do we know that it worked?" asked Granger.

Elizabeth smiled darkly. "Well, we haven't been caught yet."

"'Yet'?" questioned Granger.

"I'd be surprised if we can go through the whole year before being caught," said Elizabeth dryly.

"If we'd get caught, it would be because you told Umbridge," accused Weasley. It was quite a stupid notion.

Elizabeth snorted. "Have you heard how much I hate Umbitch? Our confrontations are only second to her confrontations with Potter."

"You could tell some of the Slytherins who know other Slytherins that know Umbridge," stated Granger.

"Why would I talk to any Slytherins about the club?" asked Elizabeth. "First of all, the privacy spell that I placed on the parchment stops anyone from talking to anyone about the club. Second of all, there are no other Slytherins that are brave enough to actually defy Voldemort—" Weasley winced "—aside from me. There are Slytherins that hate Voldemort as much as anyone, but they can't deal with being ostracized."

Weasley snorted. "Slytherins, hating Voldemort? You need to come up with a better lie than that."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. For some reason, the slight against her house had caused something in her to snap. "Look, I have no idea what your problem is with me. Actually, no, I do have an idea. You both have it somewhere in your stupid little minds that I'm going to end up hurting either Potter or Ginny, even though I'm freaking Ginny's _best friend_. Luna, Ginny, and I are inseparable, quite like the both of you and Potter. If you think that you can intimidate me into giving up that friendship, you've got another thing coming. If you think that you can intimidate me to stop coming to the D.A. meetings, then you lot are blind. So, you know what, you can just take your shit and shove it up your arse where it belongs."

Granger looked affronted. Weasley turned a very bright shade of red.

"Why you little—" Weasley started to say before Elizabeth interrupted him.

"I have nothing more to say to you," Elizabeth snarled. She turned around to leave.

"We'll be watching you," said Granger loudly.

"I welcome it!" replied Elizabeth back, before leaving the Room of Requirement in a huff.

She wasn't quite sure why she was so mad at Granger and Weasley. Perhaps it was because just being and participating at the meetings were already dangerous enough. After all, if, when, they were found out, the Slytherins would find this as a final act of being a traitor and when you became a traitor, most students didn't quite make it. It didn't matter that they were at school; if you did not believe in the things that Slytherins believed in, you were a blood and house traitor and, therefore, have to be eliminated, either by death or by bothering them so much that they leave. Elizabeth saw it happen only once, but it was enough to make sure that she was very careful. Not only that, but Elizabeth would never betray her friends, especially with that time with the car and even that summer.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and the memories came bubbling back to the surface and pushed them down deep into her mind.

Elizabeth scowled. Weasley and Granger could be so overprotective, it was stupid.

**A/N: Someone (you know who you are!) had wanted a, pretty much, conversation between Elizabeth and Weasley and Granger and about how they were pretty much closed off to each other. Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter!**


	16. Going Back to the Slytherin Dorm: Fourth

_Going Back to the Slytherin Dorms: Fourth Year_

Elizabeth knew that she was directly avoiding her house for a reason, the reason being that she was afraid of being attacked just as she stepped into the doors of the common room. After all, some of the Slytherins were going to be under Lord Voldemort's rule, and the other Slytherins were either neutral or hid their disagreement to Voldemort. Not many wanted to risk attack by their own housemates, and only Elizabeth was brave enough, stupid enough really, to go around and practically shout out her pride at being half-muggle.

She stayed in the Hospital Wing a bit longer than she was supposed to, knowing that she was only delaying the inevitable. Luckily for her, Elizabeth had been paranoid to cast several protective charms on her trunk, so she was almost certain that her stuff was not destroyed, but she would need to get her trunk at some point during the year.

So, here Elizabeth was, standing in front of the Slytherin's portrait, still hesitating upon her entrance. It was late enough that everyone was back in their dorms and half of them were probably asleep, but early enough that the people that probably would do her harm were awake.

Elizabeth breathed in, stated the password to the portrait, and walked in. Almost immediately, tension rose in the air and the fifth years stopped talking and glared at Elizabeth as she walked in. While she wasn't the most important student in the Slytherin house, by publicly alleging herself against Voldemort, she had shattered the outside-dorm "Slytherin House stays together even if they dislike each other" rule.

Elizabeth walked to the staircase, ignoring the glares and the whispers. Before she could reach the stairs, however, she was blocked by a humongous arm that belonged to Crabbe. Not letting any emotions show on her face or body language, she stared at him.

"Excuse me," Elizabeth stated politely, before turning to go around Crabbe's arm. Almost at once, the fifth years, aside from Blaise, Daphne, and Tracy, had completely surrounded her in a circle. Elizabeth stared at the circle, inwardly cursing the fact that she allowed herself to be surrounded.

"Yes?" questioned Elizabeth politely, feigning ignorance.

"You completely threw the one rule outside the window," stated Nott, glaring at Elizabeth.

"I knew you were a muggle lover, but I had never suspected that you would dare to go against the Dark Lord," stated Bulstrode, a cruel look in her eyes.

"Perhaps Potter is good in the sack," commented Parkinson with a high-pitched, annoying laugh.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and smirked. "It's just too bad that you'll never know how dear old Draco feels, isn't it? After all, _Draco_ never gives you the time of day…"

Parkinson's eyes narrowed. Elizabeth had touched a sore point that Parkinson had tried to deny for a while now.

"Why would you go against the Dark Lord?" asked Crabbe. Goyle nodded.

"Well, he isn't exactly my lord, is he?" asked Elizabeth rhetorically. "Also, did you know his first name is Tom? Doesn't that sound _dreadfully _Muggle?"

Almost at once, the circle exchanged glances. Nott was the first one to look back at Elizabeth.

"How do you know if the Dark Lord's name is Tom? Perhaps your information is wrong," commented Nott.

"Someone called him 'Tom' and he replied," replied Elizabeth. "He, at least, used to go by that name being he named himself 'Flight from Death'."

Elizabeth glanced at Malfoy, who was being uncharacteristically quiet before continuing with her train of thought.

"With such an obvious Muggle name, who really is to say that the Dark Lord is a pureblood?" questioned Elizabeth out loud. "Perhaps he's a half-blood or even a Muggle?"

"You shut your mouth!" Goyle yelled furiously.

"The Dark Lord fights for our blood," stated Bulstrode with a gleam in her eyes. "Why would he do that if he is a mudblood or a half-blood?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Maybe some muggles treated him poorly, which caused him to hate those who were not pureblood. After all, people can be racist to their own race."

Finally, Malfoy spoke. "It does not matter as long as the Dark Lord will fight for our supremacy, but, what I want to know is, why? Why would you go against the Dark Lord when you could have joined him and gained power and glory? He would have ignored your heritage if you had fought with him, so why?"

"Well, I sort of grew up in the Muggle world, so it's a bit like my home and I would rather it not be destroyed," said Elizabeth cheerfully. The grin on her face slipped off as she became more serious. "Have you ever seen the interactions between the Dark Lord and his followers? You are no better than servants to him, cannon fodder for his cause. Do you honestly think he cares about each and every one of you? While you are kissing his hems and pledging your allegiance to a man who would not hesitate to torture you, who would not hesitate to kill you, backs bent and your arse in the air, _my _back will be straight and full of poise because I would be no one's slave. I would fight for myself and my own ideals, while you are only servants to your master, fighting for his cause, which may coincidentally be your cause as well.

"I would gain power and glory if I join him, you say? The only power would be the lack of power, grovelling on the floor to a man who thinks of him as God. And what glory would be in it for me when all I would do is attack people who cannot defend themselves against our weapons and our words? There is no glory in defeating a defenceless person, only cowardliness and shame. I am no coward and shame absolutely disgusts me, just as you do. You, who have no idea about what is coming in your future. You absolutely _disgust _me."

Without warning, Malfoy suddenly grabbed Elizabeth's front robes and slammed her back into the wall next to the stairs. "You helped put my father in Azkaban and I swear to it, that I am going to kill you and Potter and all the rest of your little friends."

"Be careful, Malfoy," Elizabeth stated, her eyes narrowing. "I would not want to defend myself."

"And what, pray tell, is going on here?"

At once, the whole house turned their heads to see Professor Snape in front of the portrait. Malfoy and Elizabeth kept on glaring at each other and ignored Professor Snape.

"Nothing, Professor," stated Parkinson with force cheer. "We were just welcoming Elizabeth back."

Professor Snape's eyes fell onto Malfoy, who still had a hold of Elizabeth robes, and Elizabeth, his eyes narrowing. "_Obviously_. Mr. Malfoy, let go of Miss Moreau."

Shocked, Malfoy turned his head to face Professor Snape, although he hadn't let go of Elizabeth's robe. Elizabeth knew that she could have broken out of the hold while Malfoy was distracted, but she decided to let Professor Snape do the talking instead. "But she—"

"Mr. Malfoy," interrupted Professor Snape. "What she did or did not do does not matter in this current establishment. I would rather not have Professor Dumbledore have to question each and every one of you as to how and where Miss Moreau disappeared to. Now, let go."

With an air of absolute disgust, Malfoy let go of Elizabeth's robes. Immediately, she straightened out her robes and put on an air of dignity that the purebloods probably felt were unfitting of someone such as her.

"Good night, Professor," Elizabeth stated politely before walking up the stairs into her dorm room with the other girls in her year. She immediately put protective spells around her bed and added a few more on her trunk before changing into her sleeping gown in the empty room. She plopped down on the bed and sighed.

At least she wouldn't have to deal with all of the hostility next year. Well, perhaps not the same kind of hostility. Elizabeth assumed that the Gryffindors wouldn't take well to a Slytherin bunking in with them.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	17. Professor Moody: Third Year

_Professor Moody: Third Year_

Elizabeth had heard great thing, albeit grudgingly, about Professor Moody's class from the upperclassmen Slytherins. Well, less "heard" than eavesdropped, but, nevertheless, she still heard good things. So, it wasn't a surprise that she felt truly excited for a Defence Against the Dark Arts class for the first time since she heard that Professor Lupin was going to be leaving.

Despite her inner excitement, however, she still stayed close to her patterns and sat near the middle instead of the front and the back. Most professors had a tendency to believe that children who sat in the front were the ones who knew the subject matter completely (or well enough) and so they usually called those in the front. Likewise, professors believed that children who sat in the back were troublemakers and thus kept their eyes on them. Despite her quite vocal...protection of her muggle world, she disliked having attention forced upon her. Therefore, she sat in the middle.

Elizabeth glanced around. Professor Moody's classroom was certainly different than her previous two Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers; Lockhart's office had been such a dull one, filled to the brim with vanity and narcissism. Professor Lupin's had been filled with various objects and magical animals, which had been much more exciting. Professor Moody's classroom seemed to reflect his paranoia. Foeglasses seemed to cover the walls everywhere and probably some other various dark magic detectors she couldn't recognise.

Professor Moody stood at the front of the classroom, growling and grumbling under his breath. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't help but stare at the magical eye he had and how it circulated several times. When class finally started, Professor Moody walked to the front of the classroom.

"This is third year Defence Against the Dark Arts," he stated gravelly, obviously. "I've only have one year to teach you how to defend yourself from what's out there, and your education has been spotty altogether."

"What do you mean by one year?" asked a Gryffindor loudly.

Both Professor Moody's magical eye and natural eye swivelled around to the Gryffindor. "I'm retired and only here one year as a favour to Professor Dumbledore. Old friend, good friend."

Professor Moody looked away from the student and focused on the entire class. "But still, your education hasn't been its best. Lockhart is an idiot and Professor Lupin accelerated you on magical creatures, which is what you should have learnt this year. I shall accelerate you as well and teach you on curses."

Quite violently, Professor Moody slammed his hands on the table and shouted, "Constant Vigilance!" The entire class jumped while Elizabeth grabbed her wand and was about to point it as Professor Moody but aborted the motion at the last second. Professor Moody's magical eye swirled to her direction.

"Who are you?" he barked at her.

So much for not drawing attention to herself. "Moreau, Professor."

He then turned his attention to the entire class. "Moreau here seems to understand the meaning of "constant vigilance." She almost attacked me and that is what you should do when you find yourself being onslaughted."

"What happens if we attacked you and you get hurt?" asked another Gryffindor worriedly.

Professor Moody started to bark and Elizabeth realised this was his laughter. "I've put most of the people in Azkaban there. You don't do that with slow reflexes.

"In any case, we shall start with the three most dangerous curses that any wizard should know: the Three Unforgiveables." Professor Moody took out a spider from a jar and let it crawl on his hand before enlarging it. "Can anyone tell me what the first one is?"

The class stayed silent until someone from Gryffindor raised his hand. "The Imperious curse, Professor."

"That one gave the Ministry a whole lot of trouble, since followers stated they had no control over their actions due to it," stated Professor Moody before pointing his wand at the spider. "Imperio!"

The spider started to tap dance to the best of its abilities, moving around the classroom and onto the desks, which sometimes caused people to scream, but most students were laughing. Elizabeth was suppressing an uncomfortable smile behind her hand; uncomfortable because it didn't seem as if the spider had control and her mind was always a scary place.

Professor Moody let them laugh for a few minutes before growling, "You think this is funny?"

Immediately, the room hushed and Elizabeth wiped the smile off of her face and put her hand down.

"I could make this spider crawl down your throats or make it drown itself. I could do the same thing to you with this curse. Do you think this funny now?" he growled darkly.

The room stayed silent as he lifted the Imperio curse off of the spider.

"Next curse," he commanded.

When noticing that her peers were not going to answer, Elizabeth raised her hand. "The Cruciatus curse."

Professor Moody nodded before raising his wand at the spider. "Crucio!"

The spider started to contort and thrash in Professor Moody's hand and Elizabeth knew if it had vocal cords, it would have been shrieking horribly. She stared at the spider with a horrified fascination, unaware that she was turning somewhat pale.

Professor Moody seemed to hold the curse for a long time before letting the spider go. Elizabeth hoped that she would never feel that curse as the spider curled up in Professor Moody's hand. (When she revisited this memory in her fourth year, the irony of that thought would not escape her, considering she had been placed under that same curse twice.)

By the time Professor Moody took off the curse from the spider, which curled up into a ball, the entire class was pale. Professor Moody stood, watching, before asking for the last and final curse. It was silent for a long time, either due to shock from the pain the spider seemed to be in or because of the horribleness of the last curse, before someone gave the last one.

Professor Moody nodded then, pointing at the still shaking spider with his wand, "Avada Kedavra!"

The spider's shaking became all too still, and Professor Moody stared at the class.

"There is no healing from this curse, there is no blocking from this curse, there is no surviving from this curse," stated Professor Moody before pausing. "There is only one person who has ever survived the killing curse and we all know the story."

With that last statement, Professor Moody dismissed the class and, still pale-faced, the students left.

Elizabeth was glad that she wasn't Harry Potter. To have that over his head must have been a burden.

**A/N: I wrote this on my phone, which is why I didn't realise that "Slytherins" hadn't been replaced with "Slithering" until I published it-and I was too lazy to log in to change it until it finally annoyed me enough to do so. **

**Sorry it took so long for an update (well, I don't think none of you care, so, I guess it really doesn't matter.) **

**There are a few things I would like to ask of you (any of you): **

**One, do you think I should change the summary? Now that I read it over after growing as a writer, I find that it sounds...Mary Sue-ish. **

**Two, do you think Elizabeth is a Mary Sue? I have tried not to, she doesn't have any special or latent magical abilities, and she certainly is not going to marry Harry or Draco or anything like that. I love to create OCs and stick them into universes and have them change some things, but I'm always worried that they have turned out to be Mary Sues. /:**

**Three, is there anything that you all would like to see? I have a few ideas circulating around, some of which include Elizabeth's first exposure to Imperious in Moody's class and another a conversation with Harry about the abuse, but are there other ideas that you, as readers, may have and want to see? **

**Either way, thank you for supporting me through these forty thousand+ words-I would have never dreamed that ASStH would ever get this far. And the fact that I'm still writing it, a little by little, amazes me. I know I'm not the best author nor is this the most popular and appreciated story, but I thank you all for reading it. **


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